Brigadier
General William J.
Gothard was
commissioned as a
Second Lieutenant in
the Infantry upon
graduation from the
University of Dayton
with a BA degree in
General Studies in
1978. His first
assignment was with
the 82d Airborne
Division, where he
served as a Rifle
Platoon Leader.
Brigadier General
Gothard’s next tour
was with the 5th
Special Forces Group
(Airborne) where he
served as a
Detachment Executive
Officer and
Detachment
Commander. From
1983 to 1987, he
served in the
Republic of Panama
with the 7th Special
Forces Group
(Airborne) as a
Detachment
Commander, Company
Commander, and
Assistant Operations
Officer. Upon
return to the United
States, Brigadier
General Gothard
served as the Safety
Officer and Chief of
the Military
Freefall Division,
John F. Kennedy
Special Warfare
Center and School.
From 1989 until
1992, he served in a
classified
assignment.
Brigadier General
Gothard next
assignment was with
the U.S. Army Civil
Affairs and
Psychological
Operations Command (USACAPOC)
as a Training
Evaluation Officer
and the Chief,
Training and
Mobilization
Division. He subsequently
commanded the 2d
Battalion, 321st
Regiment, of the
108th Division.
From 2000 to 2002,
Brigadier General
Gothard served as
the Chief, Observer
Controller, U.S.
Joint Forces
Command, Joint
Warfighting Center.
He then assumed
command of the 7th
Brigade, 80th
Division
(Institution
Training) in 2002.
In 2004, Brigaidier
General Gothard was
selected as the
Operations Officer
for the 80th
Division (IT). In
2005, he assumed the
duties of Chief of
Staff, 80th Division
(IT), until his
deployment to Iraq
in January of 2006.
Brigadier General
Gothard was assigned
as the Chief,
Division Military
Training Team, 5th
Division, Iraqi
Assistance Group,
Multi-National
Corps-Iraq, where he
was the Senior U.S.
Advisor. Upon
return from his tour
in Iraq, Brigadier
General Gothard
served as the Deputy
Chief of Staff,
Operations, for the
80th Training
Command (Total Army
School System).
Selected for
promotion and
command in 2007,
Brigadier General
Gothard assumed
command of the 353d
Civil Affairs
Command. Brigadier
General Gothard
currently serves as
the Deputy
Commanding General
(Support) and Chief
of Staff,
United States Army
Reserve Command.
His military
education includes
the Infantry
Officer’s Basic and
Advanced Courses,
the Civil Affairs
Officer Advanced
Course, the Special
Forces Qualification
Course, the Army’s
Command and General
Staff Officer’s
Course, the Advanced
Program Management
Course, the U.S. Air
Force Air War
College and the U.S.
Army War College.
He also graduated
from the Airborne,
Ranger, Jumpmaster,
and Military
Freefall Courses.
Brigadier General
Gothard holds a MA
degree in Management
from Webster
University, a MSS
degree in National
Security Studies
from the U.S. Army
War College, and a
certificate in
National Security
Management from
Syracuse University.
