Photo By Lt. Col. Randall Stillinger | The adjutant general of Texas, Air Force Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols (left), and Maj....... read more read more
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AUSTIN, Texas – Brig. Gen. Lester “Les” Simpson, commander of the 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard, was promoted to the rank of major general during a ceremony Saturday.
The adjutant general of Texas, Air Force Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, promoted Simpson to the two-star rank at Camp Mabry with many friends, family members and colleagues present.
Simpson received his Army commission in 1980 through the University of Texas, Arlington Reserve Officers' Training Corps and lives with his wife, Antoinette, in Rowlett, Texas, just east of Dallas. He recently retired from United Parcel Service of North America after 33 years of service.
Over the course of his military career, he has deployed to Afghanistan and Bosnia, and served as the special assistant to the director, Army National Guard at the Pentagon.
During the ceremony, Simpson said, “This has been an awesome day for me. It’s been an awesome journey over the last 34 years and I’m glad to get to the top of this mountain.”
Simpson, who took command of the division in June, is the first African-American commander of the 36th Infantry Division and serves as a member of the National Guard’s Joint Diversity Executive Council.
“It means a lot to me that you took the time out of your day to come and give me your congratulations,” Simpson told the audience.
Nichols, who read the Oath of Office, told Simpson that “this is a great day for you. It’s a great day for us. This is a great day for the 36th Infantry Division.”
Simpson’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge awarded in Afghanistan, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and numerous other awards. He holds a master's degree in strategic studies and is a graduate of the General and Flag Officer Course in Washington.
The mission of the 36th Infantry Division is to provide ready and responsive forces that can deploy to conduct unified land operations in joint and coalition environments, in support of a geographical combatant commander. On order, the division provides defense support to civil authorities within the United States in support of state and federal agencies.
| Date Taken: | 12.06.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.06.2014 19:12 |
| Story ID: | 149585 |
| Location: | AUSTIN, TX, US |
| Hometown: | ROWLETT, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 692 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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