Years of service 1974–2011 Rank Lieutenant general | Name William Webster | |
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Born July 3, 1951 (age 72)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana ( 1951-07-03 ) Commands held U.S. Third Army/U.S. Army Central
National Training Center
3rd Infantry Division Awards Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (four oak leaf clusters)
Bronze Star (one oak leaf cluster)
Distinctive Service Medal Education United States Military Academy | ||
Service/branch United States Army Allegiance United States of America | ||
Lieutenant General William Glenn Webster (born July 3, 1951) was a senior officer in the United States Army and a former commander of the U.S. Third Army/U.S. Army Central. Webster took command of the Third Army/Army Central on May 9, 2009 from Lieutenant General James J. Lovelace and during his tenure would be responsible for moving the Third Army's headquarters from Fort McPherson, where they had resided for 62 years, to Shaw Air Force Base in 2011. Webster would be succeeded as commanding officer of the Third Army upon his retirement by Lieutenant General Vincent K. Brooks on June 3, 2011. While commanding Third Army, Webster oversaw the transition towards full-spectrum operations in the Third Army from a more narrow focus on combat operations as well as the Third Army's role in sustaining United States military activity in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Military career
Webster received his commission upon his graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1974. During his tenure, Webster held commands within every level of the Army, ranging from platoon to field army. Webster has also served as Director of Training on the Army Staff, commander National Training Center, commander 3rd Infantry Division, as well as various other roles within the operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Webster would retire from the US Army after transferring command of the Third Army to Vincent K. Brooks on June 3, 2011. Webster has also attended the US Army Command and General Staff College, the US Army War College, and the School of Advanced Military Studies.
Lieutenant General William G. Webster Jr. was the Deputy Commander of United States Northern Command and Vice Commander of the United States Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. From 1974 to 1978, General Webster served as a Platoon Leader, Executive Officer and Company Commander in the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Polk, La. From 1979 to 1982, he served as Chief of Operations for the 7th Army Training Command and 364 Armor, 3rd Infantry Division in Germany. General Webster then moved to Fort Stewart, Ga., where he served as Chief of Operations for the 24th Infantry Division and then for the 1st Brigade, 24th Infantry Division. In 1987, he served a oneyear tour as AidedeCamp to the Commander, U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson, Ga. He next served as a War Plans Officer on the Joint Staff in Washington, D.C., from 1988 to 1991. In 1991, he assumed command of the 277 Armor, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo. From 1993 to 1994, he served as the Armor Task Force Trainer at the U.S. Army National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif. He commanded the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas from 1995 to 1997. He was then assigned as Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga., and in Kuwait. In 1998, General Webster was assigned as Commanding General of the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. From 2000 to 2001, he served as Director of Training for the U.S. Army in the Pentagon. In 2001, he became Deputy of Operations for U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and in the United States Central Command area of operations, including Operation Enduring Freedom. During the buildup in Kuwait and attack into Iraq from 2002 to 2003, he was Deputy Commanding General of all ground forces for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
As the Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division from 2003 to 2006, General Webster returned his unit from combat, reorganized and trained it, and redeployed it into Baghdad. He commanded the 40,000 men and women of MultiNational Division Baghdad from 2005 to 2006. General Webster most recently served as the U.S. Northern Command Director of Operations from 2006 to 2007. He became Deputy Commander of U.S. Northern Command on May 29, 2007.
Awards
Since receiving his commission, Webster has received the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (5), and the Bronze Star (2). Also, upon his retirement during the change of command ceremony, Webster received the Distinctive Service Medal in recognition of his 37-year career.
Personal life
General Grant and his wife, Kimberly Shawn Grugin, were married for 37 years before her death from cancer in 2013. The couple has three children, and six grandchildren. Their son Will is also an Army officer.