The Yellow Jacket Battalion, a tradition of excellence!
Fifteen general officers that have graduated from our program include those who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor—our nation’s highest recognition—and achieved the rank of West Virginia Adjutant General.
MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES C. ROGERS (RET)
DEPUTY COMMANDING GENERAL – V CORPS
Major General (Ret) Charles C. Rogers, WVSU Class of ’51, is the only surviving West Virginia native to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War. Major General Rogers was born in Claremont, West Virginia, on September 6, 1929. He is a distinguished military graduate of the West Virginia State College Army ROTC program.
General Rogers earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Mathematics from West Virginia State College and a Master of Science in Vocational Education Guidance from Shippenburg State College. He attended the following military schools: Artillery School, Army Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College. He became the only West Virginia State graduate to be awarded the nation’s highest award for heroism – the Congressional Medal of Honor. His other medals and awards include: Legion of Merit-with Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal with V Device and 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal – 10 awards, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 3 Oak leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, and Parachutist Badge. Major General Rogers died in 1990.
MAJOR GENERAL JAMES A. HOYER
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL, WEST VIRGINIA
Major General James A. Hoyer assumed the duties as The Adjutant General, West Virginia Joint Forces Headquarters-West Virginia on 1 February 2011. As the Adjutant General, State of West Virginia, he provides command guidance and vision to the West Virginia Army and Air National Guard of more than 6,000 Citizen Soldiers and Airmen. He provides the overall supervision of the day to day operations and management of the readiness, fiscal, personnel, equipment and the real property resources of the agency.
General Hoyer received his undergraduate degree from the University of Charleston and was commissioned in 1983 through a joint Reserve Officer Training Corps program with West Virginia State University. General Hoyer began his military career in the West Virginia National Guard as a Cavalry Officer. He attended the Special Forces Officer Qualification course and spent over 14 years with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group.
General Hoyer led the development of the West Virginia National Guard Counter-drug Task Force and the Joint Inter-agency Training and Education Center and its Center for National Response; a national level operational and training capability for critical infrastructure protection and consequence response. General Hoyer’s most recent assignment was Director, Joint Staff, West Virginia Joint Force Headquarters.
MAJOR GENERAL TERRY L. TUCKER (RET)
DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE ARMY AND COMMANDING GENERAL US ARMY ARMOR
CENTER & FORT KNOX
Major General Tucker, WVSU Class of ’72, served as the Squadron Commander of 4th Squadron / 7th Cavalry Regiment / 3rd Armored Division during Operation Desert Storm. Major General Tucker’s leadership as an Armor Officer was exemplary and he quickly rose to the rank of General. Major General Tucker became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans in Washington, D.C. before moving to the Inspector General’s office and eventually to Fort Knox, KY to take command of the US Army Armor Center.
MAJOR GENERAL JOHN E. BARNETTE (RET)
ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL, WEST VIRGINIA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
Major General Barnette assumed duties as the Assistant Adjutant General, Joint Staff / Commander, Joint Task Force, Joint Forces Headquarters – West Virginia, Charleston, West Virginia on 11 September 1995. As the Commander, Joint Task Force, he commands the West Virginia Army National Guard of more than 4,000 citizen soldiers. Brigadier General Barnette also serves in a dual hat assignment as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel of the 8th United States Army, Korea. He was selected for this position in March 2004.
Major General Barnette began his military career as a Private in Headquarters Company, West Virginia Army National Guard in 1967. He attended the West Virginia Military Academy Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Engineer, 4 July 1969. In 1970, he transferred to Armor Branch and served in the 1st Squadron, 150th Armored Cavalry Regiment which he commanded from 1985 to 1987. Prior to his assignment as Assistant Adjutant General, Major General Barnette served as the Deputy STARC Commander, West Virginia State Area Command.
BRIGADIER GENERAL EARL M. SIMMS (RET)
Brigadier General Simms, WVSU Class of ’68, served as the Commandant to the Adjutant General School at Fort Jackson, South Carolina as well as the Commandant of the Adjutant General School at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He later served as the Commanding General, for the Soldier Support Institute at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
MAJOR GENERAL (RET) KENNETH D. GRAY
Major General Gray, WVSU Class of ’66, was born in Excelsior, West Virginia. Major General (Ret) Kenneth D. Gray received his Bachelor of Arts from West Virginia State College in 1966, and his law degree from West Virginia University in 1969. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1966 from ROTC and entered active duty with the Judge Advocate General’s Corps in June 1969. Brigadier General Gray has completed the JAGC Basic Course, the Military Judge’s Course, the JAGC Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
General Gray’s decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army General Staff Identification Badge.
MAJOR GENERAL JACK YEAGER (RET)
ASSISTANT TO THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL AND DEPUTY COMMANDER – WEST VIRGINIA
ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
Brigadier General Yeager, WVSU Class of ’65, has led a long and distinguished career. Brigadier General Yeager has served at all levels of command and has also served in civilian higher education administration positions culminating with his tenure as Professor of Educational Administration at the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies.
MAJOR GENERAL (RET) JAMES W. MONROE
Major General Monroe, WVSU Class of ’63, was born in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Major General (Ret) James W. Monroe is a distinguished military graduate of the Army ROTC program from West Virginia State College where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He received his Master of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Middle Eastern studies from the University of Cincinnati. He attended the following military schools: Ordnance Basic and Advance courses, various technical courses, Defense Language School as an Arabic student, Command and General Staff College and Industrial College of the Armed Forces just to name a few. His awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters) and Army Commendation Medal.
BRIGADIER GENERAL (RET) ROBERT L. STEPHENS, JR.
Brigadier General Stephens, WVSU Class of ’62, was born in Welch, West Virginia. Brigadier General (Ret) Robert L. Stephens, Jr. is a distinguished military graduate of West Virginia State College Army ROTC. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Education (English and Social Studies) from West Virginia State College and a Master of Science in Education from Alfred University. General Stephens attend the following military schools: Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the defense Language Institute, United States Army Command and General Staff College and the National War College. He has the following awards and medals: Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device and two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Master Parachutist Badge and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH E. TURNER (RET)
DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF (LOGISTICS) AND AVIATION OFFICER – US ARMY RESERVE COMMAND
Major General Turner, WVSU Class of ’61, is a Charleston, WV native and a distinguished Army aviator. General Turner was born in Charleston, West Virginia on September 2, 1939. He is a distinguished military Graduate of the West Virginia State College Army ROTC Corps in 1961. He received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from West Virginia State College. He attended the following military schools: Signal Officer Basic Course, Signal Officer Advanced Course, Officer
Fixed Wing Aviation Course, Rotary Wing Aviation Course, Utah Rotary Wing Course, Command and General Staff College, National Security Management, and Air War College. His medals and awards include: Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Master Army Aviator Badge.
Major General Turner Retired as a First Officer with Delta Airlines rated on the L1011 Aircraft.
BRIGADIER GENERAL (RET) WALTER F. JOHNSON
Brigadier General Johnson, WVSU Class of ’61. Brigadier General (Ret) Walter F. Johnson, III earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from West Virginia State College in 1961. In 1972 he earned his Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Missouri. General Johnson attended the following schools: Medical Corps Officer Basic Course, the Army Medical Department Officer Advanced Course. He was an Executive Officer for the Army Surgeon General and later became the Chief of the Medical Service Corps. He received the following medals and decorations: Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Expert Field Medical Badge and the Senior Parachutist Badge.
BRIGADIER GENERAL (RET) DALLAS C. BROWN
Brigadier General (Ret) Dallas C. Brown, WVSU Class of ’54. Brigadier General Brown was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 21, 1932. He is a distinguished military graduate of Army ROTC at West Virginia State College. His military education includes: the Infantry Basic Course, the Artillery Advanced Course, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, USA Russia Institute, United Sates Naval War College – Distinguished Graduate, and the Defense Language Institute – Russian and German – as well as the National Senior Crypto logic Officer’s Course. General Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from West Virginia State College and a Master of Arts in Government – Russian area studies-from Indiana University. His medals and awards include: the Meritorious Service Medal – 20LC-Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Master Parachutist Badge and Aircraft Crewman Badge.
BRIGADIER GENERAL (RET) FRANK C. BACON, JR.
Brigadier General (Ret) Frank C. Bacon, Jr., WVSU Class of ‘51 was born in Lexington, Mississippi. Brigadier General Bacon is a distinguished military graduate of West Virginia State College Army ROTC program. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Studies from West Virginia State College and a Master’s from Northeastern Illinois University. He attended the following military schools: Artillery Basic and Advanced Officers Courses, the Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial War College.
MAJOR GENERAL HARVEY D. WILLIAMS (RET)
Major General (Ret) Harvey Dean Williams, WVSU Class of ’50. Major General Williams was born in Whiteville, North Carolina. He is a distinguished military graduate of WVSC ROTC. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from West Virginia State College and a Master of Science in International Relations from George Washington University. He went to the following military schools: Artillery School, Basic and Advanced Courses; the Armed Forces Staff College; United States naval War College. General Williams’ awards include: The Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters.
MAJOR GENERAL EDWARD GREER (RET)
DEPUTY COMMANDING GENERAL – US ARMY MILITARY PERSONNEL CENTER, WASHINGTON
Major General Edward Greer, WVSU Class of ’48. Major General Greer was born in Gary, West Virginia on March 8, 1924. He is a distinguished military graduate of the WVSC ROTC program. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science and a Master of Science in International Affairs, respectively. He went to the following military schools: Artillery School, the Strategic Intelligence School, Army Command and General Staff College, and the National War College. General Greer’s awards include: Silver Star, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal, Joint Service, Commendation Medal, and Army Commendation Medal, with Oak Leaf Cluster.