ROCK OF THE YEAR
ROCK OF THE YEAR
FOR 1997
Major General Fredric H. Leigh
U.S. Army, Retired
Fredric Leigh is the Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.
At the time of retirement from the Army in January 1994, General Leigh was the Director of Management in the Office of the Chief of Staff, Army. He was the principal advisor to the Chief of Staff, Army on matters relating to overall Army management objectives, concepts, policies and programs. He was responsible for oversight management of the RAND-Arroyo Center as executive agent for the Chief of Staff, Army.
Born in Dayton, Ohio on 29 March 1940, General Leigh was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Central State University and commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry on 4 August 1963. He holds a Master of Science degree in Journalism-Public Relations from Syracuse University and a Master of Military Science degree from the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He continued management development education in the University of Chicago Executive Development Program, the Center for Creative leadership and the Harvard university JFK School of Government's Senior Executive in Government Program. his military education includes graduation from the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced coursed, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the National War College.
Prior to becoming the Director of Management, General Leigh was the Deputy Director of the National Military command Center. Other key assignments included the Assistant Division Commander (Support), 7th Infantry division (Light), Fort Ord, California, Director of Senior Leadership Research at the United States Army War college, Commander, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky and chief of Staff, 19th Support command, Eighth United States army, Republic of Korea.
General Leigh began his career as an infantry platoon leader. He served two tours in Vietnam with the 1st Infantry division, and later with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
His award and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (with Three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Bronze Star Medal (Four Oak Leaf Clusters) with Valor device, Air-Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal ( with Two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf cluster), the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Air Assault Badge, the Joint Chiefs of Staff identification Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.
ROCK OF THE YEAR
FOR 1997
General Johnnie E. Wilson
U.S. Army, Retired
General Johnnie Edward Wilson was raised in Lorain, Ohio and entered the Army in August 1961 as an enlisted soldier, attaining the rank of SSG 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 held a wide variety of important command and staff positions culminating in his current 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 Theater Army Area 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 served with distinction at every level of command. He commanded three times at the company level, a maintenance company in the 82d Airborne Division as First Lieutenant, followed by command of a supply and services company in Vietnam with the 173d Airborne Brigade, and a maintenance company with the 1st Armored Division in Europe. At the Lieutenant Colonel level, he 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, he was selected to command the Ordnance Center and School responsible for the training and professional development of thousands of soldiers, NCOs and officers every year. Following this successful assignment, he 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, he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of the Army, where he was responsible for worldwide logistics.
General Wilson’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star Medal (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 is married to the former Helen McGhee of Elyria, Ohio, and they have three children: Johnnie E., Jr, Charlene, and Scott, and five grandchildren.
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