ATU alumnus accepts command of U.S. Army INSCOM
RU S S E L LV I L L E — Arkansas Tech University alumnus Major Gen. Gary W. Johnston is the new commander for the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command.
Johnston was installed during a change of command ceremony at the Fort Belvoir, Virginia, community center. In his new role, he will have oversight of 17,500 soldiers, Army civilians and contractors working on behalf of the United States at 180 locations in 45 countries.
“INSCOM is very fortunate to have such a promising leader in the able hands of my close friend Major Gen. Gary Johnston, an extraordinarily capable, incredibly talented and committed leader,” said Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier, U.S. Army deputy chief of staff, G-2, during the change-ofcommand ceremony. “There is no better successor to command INSCOM than Gary Johnston.”
A 1983 graduate of Russellville High School, Johnston went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Arkansas Tech University in 1987. He completed the U.S. Army ROTC program at ATU and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army.
In the 31 years since, Johnston has served as the senior intelligence officer (J-2), Joint Intelligence Center, U.S. Central Command, McDill Air Force Base, Florida; deputy commanding general for U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir; senior intelligence officer (G2), XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and deputy chief of staff for intelligence in Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. He has been deployed in support of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Joint Endeavor, Endur ing Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel.
Johnston received a Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence degree from the Joint Military Intelligence College and a master’s degree from the U.S. Army War College.
According to a news release from INSCOM, the organization that Johnston will lead “executes mission command of operational intelligence and security forces; conducts and synchronizes worldwide multidiscipline and all-source intelligence and security operations; and delivers linguist support and intelligence-related advanced skills training, acquisition support, logistics, communications and other specialized capabilities in support of Army, joint and coalition commands and the U.S. intelligence community.”