Courtesy Photo | Retired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Phyllis J. Wilson is inducted into the Order of the...... read more read more
FORT RUCKER, Ala. — Chief Warrant Officer Five (Ret.) Phyllis J. Wilson was inducted into the Honorable Order of the Eagle Rising Society during a ceremony Friday at Fort Rucker, becoming the 27th individual to receive the honor.
Wilson began her Army career as a German linguist and voice intercept operator and supported multiple combat operations, including Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom. She deployed twice to Iraq with a specialized Joint Special Operations Task Force. She later served as the fifth Command Chief Warrant Officer of the U.S. Army Reserve. She contributed to strategic initiatives as a senior fellow with the Army Chief of Staff’s Strategic Studies Group. A recipient of the Legion of Merit and numerous other commendations, Wilson holds multiple academic degrees and remains a leading figure in nonprofit leadership, including her role as president of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation.
The award was presented by retired Air Force Col. Jim O’Brien, executive vice president of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), and Col. Kevin McHugh, commandant of the Warrant Officer Career College. Both praised Wilson’s enduring legacy and far-reaching accomplishments in uniform and beyond.
“Thank you for all you have done over your 37 years of service, knowing you don’t rest,” McHugh said. “Thank you for all you continue to do in support of so many.”
Founded in 2004 in partnership with MOAA, the Eagle Rising Society annually recognizes a warrant officer whose contributions have meaningfully impacted the Army and strengthened the warrant officer cohort.
Wilson reflected on formative experiences during her remarks, including her first assignment with the 3rd Armored Division in Germany and the mentorship of Chief Warrant Officer Four David Roberts, a Vietnam War veteran whose belief in her helped shape her path. She also credited Chief Warrant Officer Five Don Hess, a key figure in warrant officer professionalization during the 1970s.
“You never know the difference you’re going to make,” Wilson said. “Many of us, because we’re not braggadocious, we don’t share enough what we’ve done—what the Army has done for us.”
She encouraged attendees to push warrant officers hard and train them well, urging leaders never to break the trust placed in the cohort. Wilson sits on the boards of Policy Vets, Allied Forces Foundation, the Army Women’s Foundation and the Association of the United States Army. She is also a senior fellow at AUSA, a lifetime member of the Warrant Officer Association #1918, and remains a prominent advocate for veterans and military families.
| Date Taken: | 07.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2025 11:49 |
| Story ID: | 542698 |
| Location: | ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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