A promotion ceremony in honor of Chaplain William “Bill” Green Jr., the U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains was held at the Institute for Religious Leadership at Fort Jackson, March 15.
The event was hosted by Gen. Gary M. Brito, commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.
“We’re going to promote Brig. Gen. Bill Green to the distinguished rank and hard-earned rank of major general in our United States Army. And as many of you know, as I certainly do, this is not just a promotion to a new rank,” Brito said. “This is to formerly and fully enable Bill Green to execute the monumental importance of the Office of the Chief of Chaplains, where he will continue to lead the efforts of our entire Chaplain Corps while they minister to the spiritual, emotional and mental needs of our Soldiers, their Families and our civilian professionals.”
Brito also spoke of Green’s character.
“Chaplain Green is not only a man of faith, which is obvious given his profession, but he truly and genuinely walks the walk as he lives his life and has gone about his career with a true servant’s heart.”
The Zimmerman Auditorium on the IRL campus was full of many members of Green’s Family, friends, and colleagues. Distinguished visitors included Fort Jackson Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly; retired chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Douglas L. Carver; Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) Jack J. Stumme, Deputy Chief of Chaplains; Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) Andrew Harewood, Deputy Chief of Chaplains, U.S. Army Reserve; and Sgt. Maj. Meaghan Simmons, Chaplain Corps Regimental Sergeant Major. An overflow room was used to accommodate other guests who could view the proceedings online over several screens.
Green’s wife Robin and his brother Calvin Lawyer Sr. pinned the two silver stars on his shoulders as his mother, Mary Green witnessed the act up close and his three adult children watched from the audience. Green and his wife Robin also will celebrate 40 years of marriage later this year.
Green is the 26th Chief of Chaplains and the third African American to hold the position in 248-year history of the Chaplain Corps. While he was born in Savannah, Georgia, he grew up on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Green shared a history story from the Civil War that took place on Nov. 7, 1861, known as the Big Gun Shoot. It is the anniversary of the Battle of Port Royal and the start of the reconstruction of South Carolina that affected Hilton Head Island and Hilton Head Islanders including Green’s Family, many who were slaves. The Union Army liberated Hilton Head Island at this time and four chaplains from Union Army units installed the first pastor of the church to which Green belongs.
“You might be wondering why I wanted to have this ceremony here, why was it so important to come back home to Hilton Head Island or to South Carolina to have this ceremony. God has brought my Family and my people from a mighty long way and guess what the Army was there.”
Green said. “The U.S. Army was there. On the day of the Big Gun Shoot the U.S. Army was there, why; to liberate, to bring freedom. And I love freedom. I love freedom so much that I joined, and I raise my hand and I’ve been serving for well over 30 years.”
“And so, this place, the U.S. Army Institute for Religious Leadership here in South Carolina. The Heart and Home of the United States Army Chaplain Corps. Also, Nov. 7, 1861, and those four chaplains. They are unlike the Four Chaplains that we talk about all the time. We don’t hear much about these four. But I will tell you that these four hold a very prominent place in my life and in my ministry because they cared, and they wanted to bring freedom.”
Upon graduation from high school, Green enlisted in the Army as a cannon crewman and field radio repairman.
In 1986 he left active duty to pursue his calling and to become an ordained minister and Army chaplain.
Green is a 1989 Distinguished Military Graduate of Savannah State University, Savannah, Georgia, with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. In 1992, he graduated from Emory University, Decatur, Georgia, with a Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology.
He is endorsed by the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. and became an Army chaplain in 1994.
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