Russellville native named commander of U.S. Army intelligence unit, will oversee 17,500 people

Major Gen. Gary W. Johnston of Russellville.
Major Gen. Gary W. Johnston of Russellville.

A native Arkansan and Arkansas Tech alumnus has been appointed the commander of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, a spokesman for the university said Wednesday.

Major Gen. Gary W. Johnston began his new role June 11 after a change of command ceremony at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. In the position, the Russellville native will oversee 17,500 soldiers, civilians and contractors working at 180 locations in 45 countries, according to a news release from the university.

Spokesman Sam Strasner said Johnston graduated from Russellville High School in 1983 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Arkansas Tech in 1987.

In the U.S. Army, he served as a senior intelligence officer at McDill Air Force Base in Florida and Fort Bragg in North Carolina. He has also been deployed in five operations, including Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom, according to the release.

The U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command is responsible for commanding intelligence and security forces, delivering intelligence-related skills training and supporting the U.S. Army and intelligence community.

Sign up for breaking news
& daily updates delivered
right to your inbox.




Upcoming Events