A retired general in the United States Army and former commander of United States Central Command, Michael “Erik” Kurilla is the Jill and Jay Bernstein Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute. General Kurilla served in uniform for more than 35 years.
In his final assignment in uniform, General Kurilla served as the 15th commander of U.S. Central Command from 2022 to 2025. In this post, he oversaw major combat operations, including the June 2025 U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and the U.S.-led campaign of strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. He was responsible for U.S. military engagements across twenty-one countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia during a period of enormous challenge and change, including the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist assault on Israel. He strengthened U.S. alliances and partnerships across the region, including coordinating the U.S. and regional response that defeated Iran’s two direct barrages of missiles and drones against Israel last year.
Earlier in his career, General Kurilla commanded the XVIII Airborne Corps, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 75th Ranger Regiment. He has led airborne, mechanized, Stryker, Ranger, and Special Operations units in combat and other deployments around the world.
General Kurilla was commissioned from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1988. He holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from West Point, an M.B.A. from Regis University, and an M.S. in national security studies from the National War College.
