Benjamin S. Griffin
General, U.S. Army

Benjamin S. Griffin was born on 11 August 1946 in Emporia, VA. His military career began when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in July 1970 following graduation from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA. He served two tours at Fort Bragg, NC, in the 82nd Airborne Division: in the 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment as a Rifle Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer, and in the 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry Regiment as a Commander of Company C and a S-3 Air (Operations) Officer. Griffin also worked as a G-3 Operations Officer, Headquarters, 82nd Airborne Division.

Griffin's overseas assignments included a tour in Korea as a Company Commander and Brigade S-2 in the 2nd Infantry Division. He served two tours in Germany in the 8th Infantry Division as Secretary of the General Staff and Mechanized Infantry Battalion Executive Officer in the 2nd Battalion (Mechanized), 87th Infantry. He was also Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment.

His later assignments included: Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the Army in Washington, DC, and Commander of the 2nd Brigade, 6th Infantry Division (Light) in Alaska. In August 1994, he served as Executive Officer to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command, Fort McPherson, GA.

Following his assignment in Georgia, General Griffin took command of Joint Task Force 6 at Fort Bliss, TX. He then served as the Assistant Division Commander (Support), 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, TX.

In July 1997, he became the Director of Force Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans in Washington. From June 1999 to October 2001, Griffin returned to Fort Hood as Commanding General of the 4th Infantry Division.

Griffin was serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8, Department of the Army, when he was selected to be Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command. He served in that command from 5 November 2004 to 13 November 2008.

In 2008, General Benjamin S. Griffin retired from active Army duty after 38 years of service.

Education

General Griffin received a bachelor's degree in Business Management from Old Dominion University in 1969 and a Master's degree in Business Administration from Mercer University in 1981. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Advanced Course; Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University.

Medals and Awards

Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Achievement Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
National Defense Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars
Armed Force Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Army Service Medal
Army Overseas Service Medal with Numeral 3
Presidential Unit Citation
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Army Superior Unit Award
Expert Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge

In Retirement

General Griffin is a fellow of the Institute for Strategic and Innovative Technologies.