William B. Caldwell IV
William B. Caldwell IV | |
|---|---|
 Caldwell in 2011 | |
| Nickname(s) | "Bill"[1][2] |
| Born | January 24, 1954 Columbus, Georgia |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1976–2013 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | United States Army North Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan Fort Leavenworth United States Army Combined Arms Center 82nd Airborne Division 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light) 4th Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Invasion of Panama
|
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (3)[3] |
| Website | blog |
William B. "Bill" Caldwell IV (born January 24, 1954)[4] is a retired United States Army officer and the current President of Georgia Military College.[5] Caldwell's final military assignment was as Commanding General of United States Army North, also known as the Fifth Army.
Education[]
Originally from Columbus, Georgia, Caldwell's family moved frequently. His father, William B. Caldwell, III was a serving officer in the US Army, eventually retiring as the Commander of Fifth Army. During Caldwell's early childhood, his father was stationed at the United States Military Academy. Caldwell attended the SHAPE American High School at SHAPE,[6] Belgium followed by Hargrave Military Academy,[7] a private military boarding school in Chatham, Virginia. From there, he was accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He continued his education with a master's degree in systems technology from the Naval Postgraduate School and then a master of military arts and sciences from the School of Advanced Military Studies which is part of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Caldwell has also attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government and Harvard University as a Senior Service College Fellow.
Military career[]
Following a battalion command position in the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii in the mid-1990s, Caldwell was sent to Haiti to work as political-military liaison in the U.S. Embassy during Operation Uphold Democracy.
After his tour in Haiti, he commanded the 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, at Fort Drum, New York. He worked in the Office of the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, and later served as the executive assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Caldwell was serving as deputy director for operations, U.S. Pacific Command, Hawaii, at the time of the 9/11 attacks, when the command's focus shifted from regional war plans to the Global War on Terrorism.
In July 2002 Caldwell was assigned as senior military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, Paul Wolfowitz. In this position he served his boss during the preparation, execution, and follow on for the Iraq War's Operation Iraqi Freedom and other aspects of the Global War on Terrorism.
From May 2004 until June 2006 Caldwell served as the Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division. As the division commander, Caldwell oversaw deployments by the units under his command to both Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as disaster-relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.[8]
Following his command of the 82nd, Caldwell was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Effects and spokesperson for the Multi-National Force – Iraq, a position he held for 13 months.
United States Army Combined Arms Center[]
Caldwell was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in June 2007 and served as the Commanding General of the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. As the Commanding General for the Combined Arms Center, he has responsibility for the Command and General Staff College and 17 other schools, centers, and training programs throughout the United States.
NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan[]
Caldwell assumed command of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A)/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) on November 21, 2009. Prior to the activation of NTM-A at that time, CSTC-A was a two-star command headed by then Major General Richard Formica. Elevating the Afghan training mission to a three-star command reflected the increased priority placed on training the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) as part of President Barack Obama's Afghan "Surge."[9] Caldwell's efforts in Afghanistan received praise from figures in the military and government, including Senator Carl Levin, United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and Admiral Mike Mullen.[10] During this assignment Caldwell was investigated after a subordinate claimed Caldwell directed him to use psychological operations in order to influence U.S. political leaders to support the military effort in Afghanistan.[11] Doing so would be a violation of the Smith–Mundt Act. However, an investigation cleared Caldwell of wrongdoing.[12][13]
Dawood Military Hospital[]
Three U.S. military officers testified that Caldwell tried to prevent the U.S. Department of Defense from investigating sub-standard conditions at an American-funded Afghan military hospital in Kabul. Caldwell's reasoning, according to Colonel Mark Fassl, was that there was "an election coming." However, Kenneth Moorefield, Deputy Inspector General for Special Plans and Operations, dismissed these allegations, claiming that there was no "attempt...to delay our investigation...or turn it off."[14]
The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoDIG) conducted an investigation into the allegations and determined that Caldwell and his deputy Major General Gary S. Patton sought in 2011 to restrict contact with a team of investigators probing allegations of corruption and sub-standard patient care at Dawood National Military Hospital. The Inspector General recommended that the Secretary of the Army take appropriate action against Caldwell and his immediate subordinate, Major General Patton.[15] An Army spokesman stated that, following the investigation, Caldwell "requested that he be retired, knowing that these substantiated allegations would directly prevent any future promotion or assignment to a position of importance and responsibility."[16]
United States Army North (Fifth Army)[]
Caldwell's final military command was United States Army North, also known as the Fifth Army, which was also his father's final military assignment. Caldwell turned over command of U.S. Army North to Lieutenant General Perry L. Wiggins on September 4, 2013.[17][18]
Dates of rank[]
| Rank | Date |
|---|---|
 Second lieutenant |
1976 |
 First lieutenant |
1978 |
 Captain |
1980 |
 Major |
1986 |
 Lieutenant colonel |
1992 |
 Colonel |
1996 |
 Brigadier general |
2001 |
 Major general |
2004 |
 Lieutenant general |
2007 |
Awards and decorations[]
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Other awards[]
- Honorary ROCK of the Year in 2008[19]
See also[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William B. Caldwell, IV. |
- International Security Assistance Force
- Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan
- 2009 congressional delegation to Afghanistan
Reference[]
- ^ Abi-Habib, Maria. (2011). "Neglect at Afghan Military Hospital, Graft and Deadly Neglect" from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-08. Retrieved 2015-02-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Abi-Habib, Maria. (2012) Pentagon Is Pressed on Afghan Inquiry from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-08. Retrieved 2015-02-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "Leadership is their life". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Columbus, GA. October 25, 2008.
- ^ George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Public Papers – 1991 – June, Appointment of the 1991–1992 White House Fellows, June 4, 1991
- ^ "Biography – President William B. Caldwell, IV". Retrieved 2019-12-19.
- ^ "SHAPE International School". Isbi.com. 2003-07-01. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
- ^ "Prominent alumni". Hargrave Military Academy. Archived from the original (List) on 2008-05-11.
- ^ Gilmore, Gerry (September 21, 2005). "82nd Airborne Division Becomes 'Waterborne' in New Orleans". American Forces Press Service. Archived from the original on March 14, 2008.
- ^ Dreazen, Y. (2010). U.S. Says Afghan Forces Growing Faster Than Expected. National Journal. Retrieved February 19, 2011, from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2011-02-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Congressional Testimony. (2011). Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2012 and the Future Years Defense Program. Retrieved February 19, 2011, from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-03-04. Retrieved 2011-02-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ MSNBC.com, Report: Army Targeted U.S. Senators With Psy-Ops Archived 2013-12-22 at the Wayback Machine, February 24, 2011
- ^ Robert Burns, Associated Press, Army Times, Pentagon Clears 3-Star of Alleged Psyops Use, July 27, 2011
- ^ Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service, Report Clears Afghanistan Training Commander Archived 2013-07-13 at the Wayback Machine, July 28, 2011
- ^ MARGASAK, LARRY (2012-09-12). "Generals deny trying to stop Afghan hospital probe". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2015-02-08. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
- ^ Capaccio, Tony (September 19, 2013). "Generals Seen Trying to Impede Afghan Hospital Probe". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
- ^ "3-star seen as trying to block Afghan hospital probe retires at rank". Army Times.
- ^ Michelle Tan, Army Times, Army North Welcomes New Commander, September 5, 2013
- ^ Joe Gould, Army Times, [1], November 6, 2013
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "Statement of Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell IV United States Army Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense, and Foreign Operations" (PDF). United States House of Representatives. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
- 1954 births
- Living people
- People from Columbus, Georgia
- Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)
- United States Army personnel of the Iraq War
- United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- United States Army generals
- Harvard Kennedy School alumni
- United States Military Academy alumni
- Commandants of the United States Army Command and General Staff College
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
- Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- Recipients of the Polish Army Medal
- Recipients of the NATO Meritorious Service Medal
- Recipients of the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal
- Hargrave Military Academy alumni