Commandant of the Army War College

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Seal of the Army War College Seal of the United States Army War College.png
Seal of the Army War College
The "Light of Learning" statue at the Army War College Secretary Pompeo Meets With Department Employees at the Army War College (47516079881).jpg
The "Light of Learning" statue at the Army War College

The commandant of the Army War College is the senior United States Army officer commanding the United States Army War College. As a direct reporting unit of the United States Army, the commandant is responsible to the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the United States Army for the successful running of the Army War College. Since 1986, the commandant's official residence is Quarters 1 in Carlisle Barracks. [1] [2]

Contents

The position dates from 27 November 1901, when General Order 155 established a War College Board to advise the President of the United States and the direct the "intellectual exercise" of the Army. Major General Samuel B.M. Young was appointed president of the Board, thus making him the first President of the Army War College, despite the college only beginning operations under his successor, Brigadier General Tasker H. Bliss. [3] The position was retitled as Commandant of the Army War College with the appointment of Major General James W. McAndrew to the presidency in 1919. [4] Five commandants later became superintendent of the United States Military Academy.

The commandantship was vacant for two separate periods, both during wartime when classes were suspended: from August 1918 to June 1919 (during World War I) and from July 1940 to January 1950 (during World War II and the early postwar era). [4]

The commandant, since 1986, has consistently held the rank of major general.

Commandants

List of commandants in chronological order [4]

# [a] Rank [b] NamePhotoTerm beganTerm endedTerm lengthNotes [c]
1 Major General Samuel B. M. Young YOUNG, S.B.M. GENERAL LCCN2016857332 (cropped).jpg 1 July 190215 August 19031 year, 45 daysOversaw the initial establishment of the Army War College. Later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1903 to 1904 under the General Staff Act of 1903, which also enshrined the office of president of the Army War College into statutory law.
2 Brigadier General Tasker H. Bliss General Tasker Bliss.jpg 15 August 190315 April 19051 year, 243 days
3Brigadier General Thomas H. Barry GenThomasHenryBarry2.jpg 4 December 190521 February 19071 year, 79 daysLater served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1910 to 1912.
4Brigadier General William W. Wotherspoon Portrait of William Wallace Wotherspoon.jpg 9 October 190719 June 19091 year, 253 days
5Brigadier GeneralTasker H. Bliss General Tasker Bliss.jpg 21 June 19091 December 1909163 daysLater served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1917 to 1918.
6Brigadier GeneralWilliam W. Wotherspoon Portrait of William Wallace Wotherspoon.jpg 1 December 190913 January 19122 years, 43 daysLater served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army in 1914.
7Brigadier General Albert L. Mills Albert L. Mills.png 2 February 191231 August 1912211 days Medal of Honor recipient in the Spanish–American War. Previously served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1898 to 1906. Later served as Chief of the Militia Bureau from 1912 to 1916.
8Brigadier General William Crozier William Crozier.jpg 1 September 19121 July 1913303 days
9Brigadier General Hunter Liggett Hunter Liggett.jpg 1 July 191322 April 1914295 days
10Brigadier General Montgomery M. Macomb 03-macomb l.jpg 22 April 191412 October 19162 years, 173 days
11Brigadier General Joseph E. Kuhn Joseph E. Kuhn (cropped).jpg 1 February 191725 August 1917205 days
May 1917June 191925 monthsArmy War College classes suspended during World War I.
12Major General James W. McAndrew James W. McAndrew (cropped).jpg 15 June 19196 July 19212 years, 21 days
13Major General Edward F. McGlachlin Jr. Edward F. McGlachlin, Jr.jpg 14 July 192130 June 19231 year, 351 days
14Major General Hanson E. Ely 111-SC-42498 - NARA - 55244199-cropped.jpg 1 July 192330 November 19274 years, 152 days
15Major General William D. Connor
William Durward Conner.png
20 December 192730 April 19324 years, 132 days
16Major General George S. Simonds George S Simonds.jpg 1 May 193231 January 19352 years, 275 days
17Major General Malin Craig Malin Craig (cropped).jpg 4 February 19351 October 1935239 daysLater served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1935 to 1939.
Colonel Walter S. Grant
(Acting)
Walter S. Grant.jpg 3 October 193523 June 1936264 days
18Brigadier GeneralWalter S. Grant Walter S. Grant.jpg 24 June 193630 June 19371 year, 6 days
19Major General John L. DeWitt John Lesene Dewitt copy.PNG 30 June 193730 November 19392 years, 153 days
20Brigadier General Philip B. Peyton Portrait gray.png 1 December 193930 June 1940212 days
1 July 194025 January 19509 years, 208 daysArmy War College classes suspended during and after World War II.
21 Lieutenant General Joseph M. Swing LTG Joseph M. Swing (cropped).jpg 1 April 195031 July 19511 year, 121 days
22Lieutenant General Edward M. Almond Edward M. Almond.jpg 31 August 19516 December 19521 year, 97 days
23Major General James E. Moore James Edward Moore.JPG 20 April 19535 February 19551 year, 291 days
24Major General Clyde D. Eddleman Clyde Davis Eddleman.jpg 27 May 195510 October 1955136 daysLater served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1960 to 1962.
25Major General Max S. Johnson Max S. Johnson.jpg 10 October 195511 February 19593 years, 124 days
26Major General William P. Ennis Jr. William P. Ennis Jr. (US Army lieutenant general).jpg 16 February 195931 July 19601 year, 166 days
27Major General Thomas W. Dunn Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Dunn (2).jpg 8 August 196016 February 19621 year, 192 days
28Major General William F. Train William F. Train.jpg 1 May 196230 June 19642 years, 60 days
29Major General Eugene A. Salet Eugene A. Salet (1).jpg 1 July 196422 August 19673 years, 52 days
30Major General William J. McCaffrey
William J. McCaffrey (US Army Lieutenant General).jpg
15 September 19676 July 19691 year, 294 days
31Major General George S. Eckhardt George S. Eckhardt.jpg 7 July 196915 March 19711 year, 251 days
32Major General Franklin M. Davis Jr. Franklin M. Davis, Jr. (2).jpg 4 May 197126 June 19743 years, 53 days
33Major General DeWitt C. Smith Jr. Lt. Gen. DeWitt C. Smith, Jr.jpg 1 July 197431 July 19773 years, 30 days
34Major General Robert G. Yerks Lt. Gen. Robert G. Yerks.jpg 1 August 197731 July 1978364 days
35Major GeneralDeWitt C. Smith Jr. Lt. Gen. DeWitt C. Smith, Jr.jpg 1 August 197830 June 19801 year, 334 days
36Major General Jack N. Merritt Lieutenant General Jack N. Merritt, USA.jpg 1 July 198022 July 19822 years, 21 days
37Major General Richard D. Lawrence Lawrence-DA-SC-88-01192.jpeg 2 August 198222 September 19831 year, 51 daysLater served as president of the National Defense University from 1983 to 1986.
38Major General Thomas F. Healy Thomas F. Healy.jpg 26 October 198319 June 19851 year, 236 days
39Major General James E. Thompson Jr. James E. Thompson Jr. (US Army General).jpg 20 June 198530 September 19872 years, 102 days
40Major General Howard D. Graves Howard D. Graves.JPEG 1 October 19877 July 19891 year, 279 daysLater served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1991 to 1996.
41Major General Paul G. Cerjan Lt Gen Paul G. Cerjan.jpg 10 July 198918 August 19912 years, 39 days
42Major General William A. Stofft Portrait gray.png 19 August 199125 July 19942 years, 340 days
43Major General Richard A. Chilcoat Portrait of U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Richard A. Chilcoat(Uncovered)U.S. Army PHOTO by Mr. Russell F. Roederer, CIV - DPLA - 446fe46dd7a0ceba8092b553985c383a.jpeg 29 July 199425 July 19972 years, 361 days
44Major General Robert H. Scales Jr. General Robert Scales.png 3 August 199728 July 20002 years, 360 days
45Major General Robert R. Ivany Portrait of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert R. Ivany.jpg 31 July 200028 July 20032 years, 362 days
46Major General David H. Huntoon Jr. Maj. Gen. David H. Huntoon, Commandant, U.S. Army War College.jpg 15 August 200321 January 20084 years, 159 daysLater served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 2010 to 2013.
47Major General Robert M. Williams Robert M. Williams.png 22 January 200820 June 20102 years, 149 days
48Major General Gregg F. Martin Gregg F. Martin (4).jpg 21 June 201014 June 20121 year, 359 daysLater served as President of the National Defense University from 2012 to 2014.
49Major General Anthony A. Cucolo III Anthony A. Cucolo III.jpg 15 June 201213 June 20141 year, 363 days
50Major General William E. Rapp William E. Rapp (4).jpg 13 June 201428 July 20173 years, 45 days
51Major General John S. Kem John S. Kem (4).jpg 28 July 201730 July 20203 years, 2 days
52Major General Stephen J. Maranian Stephen J. Maranian (3).jpg 30 July 202031 August 20211 year, 32 daysLater served as Commanding General, 56th Artillery Command from 2021 to 2023.

Directed revisions and innovations in curriculum and teaching methodologies, and hired faculty experienced with emerging issues. [5]

53Major General David C. Hill David C. Hill (8).jpg 31 August 20211 August 20253 years, 335 daysOversaw innovations to both resident and distributed learning curricula as well as the construction of a state of the art academic facility.
54Major General Trevor J. Bredenkamp MG Trevor J. Bredenkamp (3).jpg 1 August 2025Incumbent3 days

See also

Notes

  1. Repeat terms are to be bracketed with the same number. This is not an official numbering.
  2. Highest rank held by the officeholder while serving as Commandant.
  3. Achievements of the officeholder while serving as Commandant; notable military or political positions held post-commandantship, in particular leadership of other military institutions such as the U.S. Military Academy or U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

References

  1. Baltos, Corey (27 February 2012). "Commandant opens home to Carlisle Barracks families" (PDF). U.S. Army War College. USAWC Public Affairs. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  2. "Historic Carlisle Barracks - History of the Army War College". U.S. Army War College. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  3. Newland, Samuel (17 August 2001). "A Centennial History of the US Army War College". USAWC Press. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "Past Commandants as of 30/7/2020 - Army War College". usawc.libanswers.com. 30 July 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  5. "New assignments announced for MG Stephen J. Maranian, MG David C. Hill". www.army.mil. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.