NEWPORT, R.I. - The U.S. Naval War College (NWC) presented Gen. Randy A. George, 41st Chief of Staff of the Army, with the institution’s 2024 Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award (DGLA), onboard Naval Station Newport, Feb. 13.
The highest award presented to U.S. NWC alumni, the DGLA recognizes the college’s most distinguished graduates who have attained positions of senior leadership and prominence in the field of national security.
In his opening remarks, Rear Adm. Darryl Walker, president of NWC, highlighted George’s dedication to duty, intellectual curiosity and his unwavering sense of personal and professional integrity.
“These traits, which form the bedrock upon which the U.S. Naval War College was established 140 years ago, have enabled Gen. George to set a standard of excellence that all future graduates should strive to achieve,” said Rear Adm. Darryl Walker, president of NWC.
The event drew more than 700 in-person attendees, including military and government leaders, NWC faculty and staff and approximately 550 in-resident NWC students from every U.S. military service branch, interagency organizations and partner and allied nations.
Distinguished guests included Brig. Gen. Andrew J. Chevalier, Adjutant General of Rhode Island and Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard.
Accepting the award, George shared advice with students on facing emerging challenges as leaders operating in an increasingly complex and cross-domain warfighting environment.
“I tell all of our leaders to ‘think joint’,” said George. “There is no such thing as an air theater, a maritime theater, a land theater - only joint theaters… our asymmetric advantage is that we know how to fight together.”
George assumed duties as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army on September 21, 2023 after most recently serving as the 38th Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.
The 29th DGLA recipient, George is preceded by a distinguished list of awardees with significant contributions across all service branches, including the 28th recipient, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations. He is also the 5th U.S. Army officer to receive the award.
The first recipient of the award was U.S. Army General John M. Shalikashvili, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, class of 1970.
First presented in 1996, DGLA highlights the accomplishments of alumni who have used their NWC education to achieve prominent senior leadership positions in the field of national security. Recipients are selected based on their senior leadership roles, inspiring career achievements, and commitment to professional military education.
Established in 1884, NWC is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. The college delivers excellence in education, research, and outreach, informing today’s decision makers, educating tomorrow’s leaders, and engaging partners and allies on all matters of naval power in order to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win decisively in war.