Mark Phillip Hertling (born September 29, 1953) is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General. From March 2011 to November 2012, he served as the Commanding General of United States Army Europe and the Seventh Army.[1] Hertling served in armor, cavalry, planning, operations and training positions, and commanded every organization from platoon to field army. He commanded the 1st Armored Division and Task Force Iron/Multinational Division-North in Iraq during the troop surge of 2007 to 2008.
After retirement from the army, Hertling became a senior vice president for the Florida Hospital organization in Orlando from 2012 to 2018. While there, he developed a successful Physician Leader Development course for that organization. In 2016, he also published the book Growing Physician Leaders. Since 2018, he has provided leadership courses to several healthcare institutions throughout the nation, while also speaking on leadership and national security for myriad audiences.
In 2013, Hertling was also appointed by President Barack Obama to be one of 25 people serving on the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. He served as a council member until 20 January 2017.[2] He also acts as a senior advisor to "Mission Readiness", a nonprofit, bipartisan organization of retired military leaders who call for smart investments for U.S. children. He has served as a board member for World TEAM (The Exceptional Athlete Matters) Sport, an organization providing opportunities for physically challenged athletes, and he serves as a senior advisor to "Operation Gratitude", an organization supporting deployed military, first line responders, healthcare workers and their families. In 2016, he was named as an adjunct scholar to the Modern War Institute at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and in 2019 he became an adjunct professor at the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College, and was later appointed as professor of practice, leadership for the Crummer Graduate School of Business in 2024. In 2021, Hertling received a presidential appointment to the American Battle Monuments Commission. Since June 2014, Hertling has appeared as a national security and military analyst for CNN. In November 2025 Hertling joined The Bulwark as a commentator and expert on politico-military affairs.
As the first commander of IMT from 2009 to 2011, Hertling was responsible for integrating the initial training of about 160,000 officers and enlisted soldiers entering United States Army training every year at 27 installations across the United States. Hertling led change in several areas, including integrating new training methods into basic combat training, advanced individual training, and basic officer leadership courses. IMT revised the Army's Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills[3] and developed further training in rifle marksmanship, combatives, values instruction, first aid, and cultural training. IMT's "Soldier-Athlete"[4] initiative also brought about innovative changes in physical readiness training, introducing athletic trainers and physical therapists to training units, and integrating performance nutrition into Army dining facilities ("Fueling the Soldier"). Complementing Soldier Athlete, Hertling recommended change to the Army's Physical Readiness (PT) test, a recommendation which was not initially accepted by the Army.[5]
Hertling also taught in the Department of Physical Education at the United States Military Academy, and served as a speechwriter for General Frederick M. Franks Jr. when he commanded TRADOC.
Hertling, Mark P.「2008年6月17日のオーム・チャルーバの戦い:戦闘の肉体的要求に部隊を準備させる上での指揮官の役割」『リーダーシップ:戦士の芸術』、クリストファー・D・コレンダ編、287-307頁。第2版。カーライル:陸軍戦略大学財団出版局、2001年。(UB210 .L21 2001)
↑"Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling COUNCIL MEMBER Army Veteran". President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
↑Mr. Michael Lewis (TRADOC) (September 30, 2010). "The Army's foundational building blocks of Soldier skills". U.S. Army.
↑"STAND-TO! – Soldier Athlete Initiative, August 17, 2010". U.S. Army. Archived from the original on August 21, 2010.
↑"Army not changing physical fitness test – for now". The Huffington Post.
↑"Putin's Attack on the U.S. Is Our Pearl Harbor". Politico. July 16, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
↑"NSL4A Endorses Kamala Harris for President of the United States". National Security Leaders for America. Archived from the original on September 22, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
↑"404w Page Not Found (DTIC)".{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
↑"Whence Value Come". Combined Arms Research Library. October 16, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"Insights Garnered and Gained". Combined Arms Research Library. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"Narcoterrorism". Combined Arms Research Library. October 21, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"The Battle Of Oom Chalouba"(PDF). Knox.army.mil. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"Coming of Age in the Desert". Combined Arms Research Library. July 1, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"The Military Media Relationship"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on April 30, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"The Year of the NCO". Army.mil. Archived from the original on January 16, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑We Need More EngineersArchived December 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
↑"A Soldiers Thoughts on Training, Leadership"(PDF). Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
↑Thomas E. Ricks (August 20, 2012). "Gen. Hertling's trip report: Security and conflict in the Caucasus region, not frozen". Foreign Policy.
↑Mark Hertling (June 12, 2014). "The real reason Iraq is crumbling". Washington Post.
↑Mark Hertling (August 21, 2014). "ISIS: The only way to defeat it (Opinion) - CNN.com". CNN.
↑Mark Hertling (September 1, 2014). "ISIS: Why strategy in Syria will take time (Opinion) - CNN.com". CNN.
↑"Opinion: A case for doing more for Ukraine". MilitaryTimes. November 28, 2014. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
↑Mark Hertling (January 7, 2015). "Paris terror attack: What videos reveal about killers". CNN.
↑Mark Hertling (March 5, 2016). "Donald Trump's military remarks: A soldier's view". CNN.
↑Morning Edition. "Military Family Reflects on Sacrifices of Iraq Service". Npr.org. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"Army Ranks See Imbalance in Iraq War Sacrifice". Npr.org. July 12, 2007. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"Operation Iron Hammer: Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, Nov. 19 |". United States Forces– Iraq. November 18, 2007. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"Maj. Gen. Bergner, Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, Dec. 19 |". United States Forces– Iraq. December 18, 2007. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"U.S. Planes Strike Al-Qaida Hideouts Near Baghdad". Npr.org. January 10, 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
12"Operational Update: Maj. Gen. Hertling, May 21". United States Forces– Iraq. May 21, 2008. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑Morning Edition. "U.S. Bridging Gaps Between Baghdad, Provinces". Npr.org. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"DVIDS– Video– Maj. Gen. Hertling". Dvidshub.net. May 23, 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"Northern Iraq Security Operations: Maj. Gen. Hertling, July 27 |". United States Forces– Iraq. July 27, 2008. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"CNN.com– Transcripts". CNN. August 3, 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑"DoD News Briefing: Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, Dec. 8 |". United States Forces– Iraq. December 7, 2008. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑Weekend Edition Saturday (March 20, 2010). "New Basic Training Hardens 'Softer Generation'". NPR. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
↑Dao, James (August 30, 2010). "Army Revises Training to Deal With Unfit Recruits". The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2011.