Retired CENTCOM commander to highlight MN Military Appreciation Fund dinner

Retired CENTCOM commander to highlight MN Military Appreciation Fund dinnerRetired CENTCOM commander to highlight MN Military Appreciation Fund dinner

Minnesota has had an amazing run of top generals running CENTCOM — the U.S. Central Command — that is responsible for military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Northeast Africa.

Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla of Elk River retired as CENTCOM commander recently after serving in that position since 2022. Just a few years earlier, Gen. Joseph Votel of St. Paul served as CENTCOM commander from 2016 to 2019.

So what is it about Minnesota generals rising to such a prominent military post?

“I like to think it’s a little bit of everything,” Votel told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. “It’s the Midwest vibe, values and things we bring to the game here. It certainly is kind of a unique circumstance.”

Kurilla will be the keynote speaker on Friday, Oct. 17, at the Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund (MMAF) dinner in Bloomington. Votel spoke at the same dinner after he retired and says Minnesotans will be fortunate to hear from Kurilla this year after a remarkable few years in the Middle East.

“We’re really lucky to have him,” Votel says. “He’s one of our most accomplished combat leaders. Of course, with everything that’s been happening in the Middle East the last two years, Gen. Kurilla was right at the center of it.”

MMAF has been providing financial assistance to military veterans of the War on Terror for more than 20 years and has given out more than 20,000 grants. Some tickets are still available for the Oct. 17 dinner.
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