Born on 14 February 1958, in Saint Paul, Minnesota,[2] Votel attended the United States Military Academy and was commissioned in 1980 as an Army Infantry officer.

[5] As a general officer, Votel served in the Pentagon as the Director of the Army and Joint Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Defeat Task Force and subsequently as the deputy director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization established under the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

[7] As CENTCOM commander, Votel oversaw the United States' continued War on Terrorism in the Middle East, particularly the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve's fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant terror organization, which rose to prominence in 2014.

After nearly 40 years of military service, Votel officially retired on 28 March 2019, five days after the decisive Battle of Baghuz Fawqani, which saw the territorial collapse of the Islamic State in Syria.

[11] He also serves as a non-resident senior fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, strategic advisor to aerospace manufacturer Sierra Nevada Corporation, and member of the board of trustees of Noblis.