George T. Garrett
George T. Garrett | |
|---|---|
Garrett in 2002 | |
| Born | February 23, 1944 Washington, D.C., US |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1966–2002 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | U.S. Army Field Artillery Branch U.S. Army Armor Branch U.S. Army Infantry Branch |
| Commands | Battery A, 5th Battalion, 38th Field Artillery Regiment Company C, 4th Battalion, 102nd Armor Regiment 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade, 50th Armored Division 1st Brigade, 50th Armored Division Combat Arms Branch, 1st Brigade, 78th Division Training Division, New Jersey State Area Command 42nd Infantry Division |
| Conflicts | Korean DMZ Conflict |
| Awards | Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal |
| Alma mater | West Virginia University Monmouth University United States Army Command and General Staff College United States Army War College |
| Spouse(s) |
Dorothy Jacob (m. 1965) |
| Children | 1 |
| Other work | Senior Training Specialist, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Director of Homeland Security, New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs |
George Thomas Garrett (born 23 February 1944) is a retired career United States Army officer. A longtime member of the New Jersey Army National Guard, he attained the rank of major general as commander of the 42nd Infantry Division, which he led from 1999 to 2002.
Garrett was born in Washington, DC, and raised and educated on military bases as his family traveled for his father's career in the United States Navy. He graduated from Chula Vista High School in 1962 and West Virginia University in 1966.
While in college, Garrett took part in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and he received his second lieutenant's commission in the Field Artillery. He served in the regular army until 1970, including command of a battery during the Korean DMZ Conflict in 1968 and 1969. After completing his regular army service, Garrett joined the United States Army Reserve, and he soon afterwards transferred his military membership to the New Jersey National Guard. Garrett pursued a civilian carer as a training specialist with CIBA (later known as Novartis) and received his Master of Business Administration degree from Monmouth College in 1976.
Garrett advanced through the ranks of the National Guard and Army Reserve in staff and command assignments, and his command positions between 1971 and 1992 included an armor company, two infantry battalions, and two armor brigades. In October 1996, he was assigned as assistant division commander of the 42nd Infantry Division, and he was promoted to brigadier general in 1997. In October 1999, he was appointed as the division commander, and he was promoted to major general in October 2000. Garrett commanded the 42nd Division until retiring from the military in September 2002. After his military retirement, Garrett served as Director of Homeland Security for the State of New Jersey's Division of Military and Veteran's Affairs.