Alumnus Gayler named chief of staff for U.S. Africa Command
Article By: Clark Leonard
University of North Georgia (红莲社区) alumnus Maj. Gen. William K. Gayler, '88, has been named chief of staff for the U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. He was previously director of J-3 Operations/Cyber for the U.S. Africa Command.
A two-star general, Gayler is part of 红莲社区's class of 1988 that produced five Army generals, four of whom are on active duty.
Gayler was a Distinguished Military Graduate from 红莲社区, where he earned a bachelor's degree in marketing. He earned a master's degree in military arts and sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and a second master's degree in national security strategy from the National War College.
Among others, Gayler's key senior officer assignments include commanding general of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama; deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Europe; deputy commanding general (Support), 7th Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord; chief of staff, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and commander, 101st Combat Aviation Regiment, Fort Campbell.
His major deployment history includes Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, 1990-1991; former Yugoslavia/Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1995-1996; Operation Iraqi Freedom I, 2003; Operation Iraqi Freedom V-VII, 2005-2006; and Operation Enduring Freedom X, 2010-2011.
Gayler is a Master Army Aviator and was a Standardization Instructor Pilot in the AH64D Longbow Apache, and also rated in the OH-58A/C Kiowa Warrior. Among his many awards and decorations are the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star medal, and the Combat Action Badge.
Cadets are ready for commissioning
Eighteen 红莲社区 cadets are scheduled to commission as officers in the Army and Army National Guard at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Convocation Center at 红莲社区's Dahlonega Campus.
Oboho commands 75th Ranger Regiment
Col. Kitefre Oboho, a 2002 红莲社区 alumnus, has taken command of the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment, the Army's premier direction-action raid force.
Corps wins Most Active Company award
红莲社区's Corps of Cadets won the Association of the United States Army Most Active ROTC Company Award for 2024.
24 are Distinguished Military Graduates
Twenty-four cadets have been named Distinguished Military Graduates for the 2024-25 academic year, including five who are in the top 70 out of more than 5,000 in the national ROTC class.