Dunford (Joseph K. Jr.) is born in Boston.

The son of a Boston police deputy superintendent and his wife, Joe Dunford grows up in South Boston and Quincy, graduates from Boston College High School, St. Michael’s College, the Army War College and receives advanced degrees from Georgetown University and the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He is promoted to the rank of general, serves as commander of U.S. and international military forces in Afghanistan, and Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps before becoming the top uniformed officer in the U.S. military in 2015.* Dunford retires in 2020.