Commandant of the Army War College

Seal of the Army War College
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]

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[edit]

List of commandants in chronological order[4]

#[a] Rank[b] Name Photo Term began Term ended Term length Notes[c]
1 Major General Samuel B. M. Young 1 July 1902 15 August 1903 1 year, 45 days Oversaw 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 15 August 1903 15 April 1905 1 year, 243 days
3 Brigadier General Thomas H. Barry 4 December 1905 21 February 1907 1 year, 79 days Later served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1910 to 1912.
4 Brigadier General William W. Wotherspoon 9 October 1907 19 June 1909 1 year, 253 days
5 Brigadier General Tasker H. Bliss 21 June 1909 1 December 1909 163 days Later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1917 to 1918.
6 Brigadier General William W. Wotherspoon 1 December 1909 13 January 1912 2 years, 43 days Later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army in 1914.
7 Brigadier General Albert L. Mills 2 February 1912 31 August 1912 211 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.
8 Brigadier General William Crozier 1 September 1912 1 July 1913 303 days
9 Brigadier General Hunter Liggett 1 July 1913 22 April 1914 295 days
10 Brigadier General Montgomery M. Macomb 22 April 1914 12 October 1916 2 years, 173 days
11 Brigadier General Joseph E. Kuhn 1 February 1917 25 August 1917 205 days
May 1917 June 1919 25 months Army War College classes suspended during World War I.
12 Major General James W. McAndrew 15 June 1919 6 July 1921 2 years, 21 days
13 Major General Edward F. McGlachlin Jr. 14 July 1921 30 June 1923 1 year, 351 days
14 Major General Hanson E. Ely 1 July 1923 30 November 1927 4 years, 152 days
15 Major General William D. Connor
20 December 1927 30 April 1932 4 years, 132 days
16 Major General George S. Simonds 1 May 1932 31 January 1935 2 years, 275 days
17 Major General Malin Craig 4 February 1935 1 October 1935 239 days Later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1935 to 1939.
– Colonel Walter S. Grant
(Acting) 		3 October 1935 23 June 1936 264 days
18 Brigadier General Walter S. Grant 24 June 1936 30 June 1937 1 year, 6 days
19 Major General John L. DeWitt 30 June 1937 30 November 1939 2 years, 153 days
20 Brigadier General Philip B. Peyton 1 December 1939 30 June 1940 212 days
1 July 1940 25 January 1950 9 years, 208 days Army War College classes suspended during and after World War II.
21 Lieutenant General Joseph M. Swing 1 April 1950 31 July 1951 1 year, 121 days
22 Lieutenant General Edward M. Almond 31 August 1951 6 December 1952 1 year, 97 days
23 Major General James E. Moore 20 April 1953 5 February 1955 1 year, 291 days
24 Major General Clyde D. Eddleman 27 May 1955 10 October 1955 136 days Later served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1960 to 1962.
25 Major General Max S. Johnson 10 October 1955 11 February 1959 3 years, 124 days
26 Major General William P. Ennis Jr. 16 February 1959 31 July 1960 1 year, 166 days
27 Major General Thomas W. Dunn 8 August 1960 16 February 1962 1 year, 192 days
28 Major General William F. Train 1 May 1962 30 June 1964 2 years, 60 days
29 Major General Eugene A. Salet 1 July 1964 22 August 1967 3 years, 52 days
30 Major General William J. McCaffrey
15 September 1967 6 July 1969 1 year, 294 days
31 Major General George S. Eckhardt 7 July 1969 15 March 1971 1 year, 251 days
32 Major General Franklin M. Davis Jr. 4 May 1971 26 June 1974 3 years, 53 days
33 Major General DeWitt C. Smith Jr. 1 July 1974 31 July 1977 3 years, 30 days
34 Major General Robert G. Yerks 1 August 1977 31 July 1978 364 days
35 Major General DeWitt C. Smith Jr. 1 August 1978 30 June 1980 1 year, 334 days
36 Major General Jack N. Merritt 1 July 1980 22 July 1982 2 years, 21 days
37 Major General Richard D. Lawrence 2 August 1982 22 September 1983 1 year, 51 days Later served as president of the National Defense University from 1983 to 1986.
38 Major General Thomas F. Healy 26 October 1983 19 June 1985 1 year, 236 days
39 Major General James E. Thompson Jr. 20 June 1985 30 September 1987 2 years, 102 days
40 Major General Howard D. Graves 1 October 1987 7 July 1989 1 year, 279 days Later served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1991 to 1996.
41 Major General Paul G. Cerjan 10 July 1989 18 August 1991 2 years, 39 days
42 Major General William A. Stofft 19 August 1991 25 July 1994 2 years, 340 days
43 Major General Richard A. Chilcoat 29 July 1994 25 July 1997 2 years, 361 days
44 Major General Robert H. Scales Jr. 3 August 1997 28 July 2000 2 years, 360 days
45 Major General Robert R. Ivany 31 July 2000 28 July 2003 2 years, 362 days
46 Major General David H. Huntoon Jr. 15 August 2003 21 January 2008 4 years, 159 days Later served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 2010 to 2013.
47 Major General Robert M. Williams 22 January 2008 20 June 2010 2 years, 149 days
48 Major General Gregg F. Martin 21 June 2010 14 June 2012 1 year, 359 days Later served as President of the National Defense University from 2012 to 2014.
49 Major General Anthony A. Cucolo III 15 June 2012 13 June 2014 1 year, 363 days
50 Major General William E. Rapp 13 June 2014 28 July 2017 3 years, 45 days
51 Major General John S. Kem 28 July 2017 30 July 2020 3 years, 2 days
52 Major General Stephen J. Maranian 30 July 2020 31 August 2021 1 year, 32 days Later 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]

53 Major General David C. Hill 31 August 2021 Incumbent 2 years, 224 days Oversaw innovations to both resident and distributed learning curricula as well as the construction of a state of the art academic facility.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  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[edit]

  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. ^ a b c "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.
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