Deputy Commanding General -- Operations

By U.S. ArmyJune 24, 2015

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Major General William B. Hickman is the Deputy Commanding General of Operations for 3rd Army/ARCENT. He assumed the duties and responsibilities of the position April, 2015.

His prior assignments include serving as the Commanding General of Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Louisiana. Deputy Commanding General (Support), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Deputy Command General (Operations), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Commander 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq. Commander, 1st Battalion 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell Kentucky and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq. Commander Bravo Company 3rd Battalion 325th Infantry Regiment (Airborne Combat Team), United States Army Southern Europe Task Force, Vicenza, Italy.

His previous staff assignments include Military Assistant to the Commander, International Security Assistance Force, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan. Executive Officer to the Commander, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Assistant Chief of Staff and Director of Operations, J-3, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq. Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 and Director, Plans, Training and Mobilization, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq. Deployment Operations Officer and Chief Deployment Operations Branch, United States Army Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Georgia. S-3 (Operations), 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Major General Hickman earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University in 1983 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the ROTC program. He later earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University and a Master's Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

Major General Hickman's awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster), Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab.