Johnnie E Wilson

Military career

Wilson was born on February 4, 1944 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was raised in Lorain, Ohio and entered the Army in August 1961 as an enlisted soldier, attaining the rank of staff sergeant before attending Officer Candidate School (OCS). On completion of OCS in 1967, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Logistics Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. His military education includes completion of the Ordnance Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

General Wilson has held a wide variety of important command and staff positions culminating in his assignment as the Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command. Other key assignments include: Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of the Army, Pentagon; Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Materiel Command; Commanding General, Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; Deputy Commanding General, 21st Area Theater Command, U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army; Commander, 13th Support Command, Fort Hood, Texas; and Commander, Division Support Command, 1st Armored Division, U.S. Army Europe.

General Wilson has served at every level of command. He commanded three times at the company level; a maintenance company in the 82nd Airborne Division as a First Lieutenant, followed by command of a supply and services company in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and B Company 123rd Maintenance Battalion with the 1st Armored Division in Europe. At the Lieutenant Colonel level, General Wilson commanded the 709th Maintenance Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, which converted and became the Army’s first Main Support Battalion. General Wilson commanded twice at the Colonel level, serving as the DISCOM Commander of the 1st Armored Division followed by command of the 13th Support Command at Fort Hood, Texas.

General Wilson next served as the Deputy Commanding General, 21st TAACOM, the Army’s largest and most diverse logistics unit. Based on his wide experience with leading soldiers, General Wilson was selected to become the U.S. Army Chief of Ordnance and command the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School responsible for the training and professional development of thousands of soldiers, NCOs, and officers every year. Following this successful assignment, General Wilson served as the Chief of Staff, AMC, where he was responsible for resource and personnel management for a workforce with over 80,000 military and civilian members. From 1994 to 1996 served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of the Army, where he was responsible for worldwide logistics.

Decorations

General Wilson’s awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Special Forces Tab, Master Parachutist Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge. General Wilson retired from the U.S. Army on 26 April 1999.

Post military career

After retirement, Wilson became President and Chief Operating Officer of Dimensions International, Inc. He has also served on the board of the Truman Library Institute, after being nominated by Colin Powell, and serves on the Army Scholarship Foundation as a member of the Foundation's Honorary Advisory Committee.

Wilson is married to the former Helen McGhee of Elyria, Ohio. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

Wilson is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.