R.J. Garcia
R.J. Garcia | |
|---|---|
| 81st Commandant of Cadets of the United States Military Academy | |
| Preceded by | Lori L. Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dallas, Texas |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Garcia (née Trevino) |
R.J. Garcia is a United States Army brigadier general currently serving as the 81st Commandant of the United States Military Academy, commonly known as West Point.[1]
Early life and education
Garcia was born in Dallas, Texas to Lupita and Manuel Garcia. Manuel, a Corpus Christi native of Mexican descent, was a staff sergeant in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War; he subsequently served as a captain in the Medical Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve. Lupita was born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. in 1953.[2] Garcia is likely to be the first Hispanic-American West Point commandant.[2][a]
Garcia attended Thomas C. Clark High School. He was nominated to West Point by Senator Phil Gramm, and graduated from the Academy with a degree in civil engineering in 1996.[2] He subsequently earned master's degrees from Kansas State University and the U.S. Army War College.
Military career
After graduating in 1996, Garcia commissioned as an officer in the Army's aviation branch and qualified as a pilot on the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. He served in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan War, earning two Air Medals and three Bronze Stars.[2][3] He subsequently served in a number of staff positions,[1] and also as an instructor in the Behavioral Sciences & Leadership Department at West Point.[3]
In April 2023, the Army announced that Garcia would succeed Lori L. Robinson as Commandant of Cadets. He assumed the role in June of that year.[4]
Notes
- ^ West Point's command historian couldn't find records of another cadet commandant with a Latino surname, although it's possible one of them had a Hispanic mother. Regardless, Garcia the first commandant with fully Hispanic heritage.
References
- ^ a b "R.J. Garcia | United States Military Academy West Point". www.westpoint.edu. Archived from the original on 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
- ^ a b c d Christenson, Sig (2024-12-27). "San Antonio lessons helped chart a general's path to West Point". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
- ^ a b "West Point grad named next commandant of academy's cadet corps". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
- ^ "West Point Hosts Change of Command Ceremony".