Century of Service: First Army program transcript.pdf

Century of Service: First Army

Lieutenant General Stephen M. Twitty (USA) visited the Museum & Library to discuss his career and the 100-year history of the First Army, America's first, oldest, and longest-serving numbered field army.

As the United States prepared to enter the first world war, it became clear that conscription was needed to quickly raise a large Army. At the time, the standing Army was only 98,000 strong and General John J. Pershing was responsible for forming the nucleus of this First Army staff while overseeing the American Expeditionary Force. As more American troops arrived, Pershing insisted that they be trained to exacting standards, by battle-seasoned Soldiers, before they could be sent to the front. French and English troops, who had fought in the trenches, helped train the American Soldiers.

Before long, more than 500,000 Americans were on French soil. On Aug. 10, 1918, First Army was established in France, under Pershing’s command. In September 1918, after months of training and frontline experience, Pershing and 500,000 Soldiers drove the Germans out of the St. Mihiel salient. It was First Army’s first victory, and the first entirely U.S.-led operation of World War I.  

LT. GEN. STEPHEN M. TWITTY became the 38th commander of First Army on July 15, 2016.

As U.S. Forces Command’s designated coordinating authority for the implementation of Army Total Force Policy, First Army partners with Army Reserve and Army National Guard leadership to advise, assist and train Reserve Component formations to achieve Department of the Army directed readiness requirements during pre- and post-mobilization training. Lt. Gen. Twitty is a 1985 distinguished military graduate from South Carolina State University. His duty assignments include rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader, and battalion S-3 air officer, from August 1985 to May 1989, with 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

He served as the S-3 (Air) for 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment during Operation Desert Storm, aide-de-camp to the commanding general, and commander of Company B, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Lt. Gen. Twitty served as a Joint Chiefs of Staff Intern in the Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5) in the Pentagon, as a speechwriter for the Army G-3, and as a G-3 operations officer with V Corps in Heidelberg, Germany, including Operation Joint Endeavor in Tazar, Hungary. He served in Schweinfurt, Germany, as the Executive Officer for 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, and the S3 for 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. He then served as the aide-de-camp to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Lt. Gen. Twitty commanded 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, including during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where his battalion was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. He served as operations officer (G-3) for 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart. At Fort Bliss, Texas, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he commanded 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, which was later reflagged as 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. He served as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Northern Command and as the Chief of Staff, United States Army Central, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Kuwait. He served as Deputy Commanding General (Operations) for the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, and then as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Communications, International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom. He then served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. From August 2014 to June 2016, he commanded 1stArmored Division and Fort Bliss.

Lt. Gen. Twitty holds a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Bronze Star Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Meritorious Service Medal (5 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Joint Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster); the Combat Infantry Badge with Star, the Expert Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Army Staff Identification Badges.