Major General Richard F. Johnson
Major General Richard Johnson brings nearly four decades of distinguished military leadership to his role as Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command. Assuming his current position in May 2023, he serves as the Commanding General’s principal advisor on all aspects of training, readiness, and modernization for the Army’s Reserve Components. He also serves concurrently as a member of the Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee, an advisory board within the Office of the Secretary of the Army.
MG Johnson’s extensive career encompasses command and staff assignments at every echelon from company to division. His key leadership assignments include Commanding General, Division West, First United States Army, Fort Hood, TX; Deputy Commanding General, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY; Deputy Director, Army National Guard, Arlington, VA; and Land Component Commander, Massachusetts Army National Guard. MG Johnson served four years as an enlisted Soldier before commissioning at the Massachusetts Military Academy in 1989.
MG Johnson has led Soldiers on multiple combat deployments, with experience in Afghanistan in Operations Enduring Freedom, Freedom Sentinel, and Resolute Support; In Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Desert Shield, and Desert Storm.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and master’s degrees in Public Affairs and Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts. His military education includes the U.S. Army War College, Command and General Staff College, and the Joint Forces Staff College Joint and Combined Warfighter Course. He further distinguished himself as a National Security Fellow and Senior Executive Fellowship recipient at the Harvard Kennedy School.
MG Johnson’s exemplary service has earned him numerous awards and decorations, including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with Combat “C” device, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Combat Action Badge.
ROTC Commissioning Ceremony Through the Years
