Matthew J. Van Wagenen

Last updated
Matthew J. Van Wagenen
Maj Gen Matthew Van Wagenen.jpg
Born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Branch United States Army
Years of service1991–present
Rank Major General
Commands Task Force Southeast
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment
1st Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment
Battles / wars Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Awards Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (5)
Bronze Star Medal (3)
National Defence Medal

Matthew J. Van Wagenen is a United States Army major general who currently serves as deputy chief of staff for operations (DCOS-OPS) of Allied Command Operations in the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. He was previously the deputy commanding general of V Corps at Victory Forward in Poznan, Poland and another prior assignment was as the chief of staff of operations of NATO, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. [1] [2] [3] He served as deputy commanding general of the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division and the 1st Cavalry Division, and as the commander of Task Force Southeast in Gardez City, Paktia Province, Afghanistan, from March to August 2017. [4] [5] [6] [7] He has participated in numerous combat operations, such as the Battle of Ramadi in 2006. [8]

Contents

Military career

Van Wagenen is an ROTC graduate of Marquette University, class of 1991. Early in his career, Van Wagenen was assigned to Erlangen, Germany, as Tank Platoon Leader and Battalion Motor Officer in the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division in 1992. Afterwards, he was assigned as a Troop Executive Officer to 3–4 Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division to Schweinfurt, Germany, from November 1993 to September 1995. After completing Advanced Courses from Fort Knox, Kentucky, he was assigned as an Assistant Operations Officer, 2d Brigade, 3d Infantry Division in Georgia from April 1996 to May 1997. In 1997, Van Wagenen was assigned to Commander of A Company, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade in Georgia. Afterwards, he was an observer and Controller with Operations Group Combat Maneuver Training Center Hohenfels, Germany, in 1999. In 2004, he was assigned to SGS 7th Army Training Command Grafenwoehr, Germany. Then, he was assigned as an executive officer to the Bandits 1–37 Armor Regiment during the Battle of Ar Ramadi and Anbar Awakening till February 2007. [9] He was quoted for explaining the unit's approach to urban warfare and the use of tanks in Ar Ramadi: "This is a whole different concept that leaves the city intact. We're doing this one block at a time, and it's slow," and "They asked me, 'What business does a tank battalion have in downtown Ramadi?" Van Wagenen said, "I told them: 'Any business we want.' And that's the truth." [10]

In June 2008, Van Wagenen was the Commander of 1–34 Armor in Fort Riley, Kansas, at Camp Funston running training for Military Intern Training Teams. Afterwards, he activated and commanded the 4th Squadron, 4th United States Cavalry of the 1st Brigade 1st Infantry Division till May 2010. From May 2010 to July 2013, Van Wagenen Was Division G-3, Chief of Operations for the 1st Infantry Division for 36 months, which included deployment to Regional Command East Afghanistan during the Surge.

From July 2013 to June 2014, Van Wagenen was a senior service college fellow at George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Germany. He was then appointed as commander of the 3d Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas for two years. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] In June 2016, he became executive officer to the Director of the Army Staff, Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army. [16] In April 2017, Van Wagenen was Deputy Commanding General (Support), 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas and Operation Freedom's Sentinel, Afghanistan. [17] [18] [19]

From June 2018 to October 2019, Van Wagenen was Deputy Commanding General, 3rd (United Kingdom) Division in the United Kingdom. [20] [21] [22] From October 2019 to May 2021 he was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, United Kingdom. [23]

In July 2021, Van Wagenen was promoted to major general. [24]

In April 2022, Van Wagenen was assigned to become the deputy chief of staff for strategic employment of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. [25]

Selected works

Featured in documentary, Facing War (2025), [26] Van Wagenen accompanied NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg to Ukraine to meet with President Zelensky.

Dates of rank

Promotions
RankDate
US-O1 insignia.svg Second lieutenant May 1991
US-O2 insignia.svg First lieutenant May 1993
US-O3 insignia.svg Captain July 1995
US-O4 insignia.svg Major October 2003
US-O5 insignia.svg Lieutenant colonel August 2007
US-O6 insignia.svg Colonel August 2013
US-O7 insignia.svg Brigadier general July 2018
US-O8 insignia.svg Major general July 2021

Awards and decorations

Combat Action Badge.svg Combat Action Badge
Airborne Badge US Army Airborne basic parachutist badge-vector.svg
Airborne Badge
Parachutist Badge
AirAssault.svg Air Assault Badge
Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg Defence Superior Service Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
Legion of Merit with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Valor device.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze Star ribbon.svg
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and two oak leaf clusters (1 award for Valor)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg
Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg
Army Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Silver oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg
Army Achievement Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster and one bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
U.S. Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Navy Unit Commendation
Army Superior Unit Award ribbon.svg Army Superior Unit Award
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Afghanistan Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Iraqi Campaign Medal with one bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon.svg Army Service Ribbon
NATO Medal ribbon (Non-Article 5).svg NATO Medal
Medaille de la Defense nationale Medaille de la defense nationale or revers.jpg
Médaille de la Défense nationale
NATO Meritorious Service Medal, obverse.png
NATO Meritorious Service Medal
Awarding of NATO MSM.jpg
Multinational Corps Southeast Medal
Multinational Corps Southeast MNCSE Medal.jpg
Multinational Corps Southeast

References

  1. "Greywolf shares lessons learned with Army Total Force partners". www.army.mil. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  2. "Van Wagenen promoted to Brigadier General". KXXV. 2018-01-20. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  3. News, ERIC POOLE Assistant Editor |. "Hermitage native promoted to brigadier general". The Herald. Retrieved 2020-12-18.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. "Mission of Task Force Southeast – Train, Advise, Assist". www.army.mil. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  5. "Task Force Southeast PART 5 of 5 – Train, Advise, and Assist Successes". DVIDS. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  6. "Task Force Southeast PART 2 of 5 – Who we TAA, the 203rd Corps and 303rd Police Zone". www.army.mil. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  7. "Task Force Southeast PART 2 of 5 – Who we TAA, the 203rd Corps and 303rd Police Zone". www.army.mil. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  8. Webmaster (2015-10-07). "Training in the UK – U.S. Army Cavalry-style". specialrelationship.uk. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  9. "Soldiers save Hohenfels workers from fire". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  10. Morin, Monte (August 13, 2006). "Marines, GIs take up residence in insurgent haven".
  11. writer, David A. Bryant. "British troops join III Corps for training exercise on Fort Hood". The Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  12. writer, Jacob Brooks. "1st Cav's 3rd Brigade says goodbye to Van Wagenen, hello to Woodward". The Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  13. "Greywolf Brigade builds team, breaks enemy". www.army.mil. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  14. "Greywolf celebrates business not as usual". www.army.mil. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  15. writer, Jacob Brooks | Herald staff. "1st Cav's 3rd Brigade says goodbye to Van Wagenen, hello to Woodward". The Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  16. Thayer, Rose L. "Lesperance proud of 3rd Brigade's flexibility, versatility". The Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  17. Edwards, Chelsea. "Fort Hood: British troops take over". kwtx.com. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  18. writer, David A. Bryant | Herald staff. "First Team bids farewell to senior leaders, welcomes new deputies". The Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  19. writer, David A. Bryant | Herald staff. "British troops join III Corps for training exercise on Fort Hood". The Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  20. Affairs, Master Sgt Jacob Caldwell, 1st Cav Div Public. "Deputy commander promoted to one star". Fort Hood Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-12-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. Affairs, Master Sgt Jacob Caldwell, 1st Cav Div Public. "First Team bids farewell to DCG-S at ceremony". Fort Hood Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-12-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. CORRESPONDENT, Jason Douglas HERALD. "'First Team' welcomes new incoming deputy commanding generals, bids farewell to old". The Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved 2020-12-18.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  23. "Van Wagenen promoted to Brigadier General". KXXV. 2018-01-20. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  24. "PN815 — Army, 117th Congress (2021–2022)". U.S. Congress. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  25. "General Officer Assignment Announcement, dtd 25 April 2022 - General Officer Management Office".
  26. Dalton, Ben (February 6, 2025). "Tommy Gulliksen's 'Facing War', about Nato handling of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, to open CPH:DOX 2025".
Military offices
Preceded by Deputy Commanding General (Support) of the 1st Cavalry Division
2017–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Commanding General of the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division
2018–2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
2019–2021
Succeeded by
New office Deputy Commanding General for Maneuver of the V Corps
2021–2022
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Employment of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
2022–present
Incumbent