Brigadier General Lester Simpson
Brigadier General Lester Simpson
Brigadier General Lester Simpson

Military Branch: National Guard

Years Served: 1980-Present

Rank: Brigadier General

Honors: Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with Bronze Service Star), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with "M" Device and Gold Hour Glass and Numeral 4 Device), Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Overseas Service Ribbon (With Numeral 3), Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (With Numeral 2), Army Service Ribbon, Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Badge, Defense Meritorius Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal (ISAF), North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal (Non-Article 5), Parachutist Badge, Reserve Component Achievement Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Vietnam Service Medal

Conflicts: Afghan War

Biography:

Brigadier General Simpson received an early commission in the Texas Army National Guard in 1980 and graduated from UTA as a distinguished military student in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in general studies. As a cadet, he commanded the Sam Houston Rifles in 1979 and 1980, winning the State of Texas Championship. He was commissioned an infantry officer and served in key leadership and command assignments in the Texas Army National Guard. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and received a Master of Strategic Studies degree in 2005.

He served as a Mortar Platoon Leader, Mechanized Infantry Platoon Leader, Company XO, Company Commander, Equal Opportunity Advisor, BN S-4, BN S-3, BN XO, BN Commander (Bradley), Brigade XO, and Division G-5. He was sent to Bosnia in Feb 2000 for 10 months, mobilized again in 2003 for Homeland Defense. He commanded multistate National Guard soldiers providing force protection at four Army and nine Air Force sites in Washington, Oregon, and California. On July 11, 2005 his division headquarters was activated to provide augmenters to work in NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina, Pristina Kosovo, and Skopje Macedonia.

He was selected for promotion to brigadier general by the adjutant general of Texas for his leadership, personal, and professional credentials; multiple deployments and broad experiences; and commitment to mission accomplishment and taking care of soldiers. A recipient of many awards, honors and medals, Brigadier General Simpson was inducted into the UTA Military Science Hall of Honor in 2010.

Interview Clips

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Interview Date: April 29, 2013

Summary:

Mr. Simpson talks about working two jobs while completing his college degree, being in the ROTC program and a member of the Sam Houston Rifles drill team. He mentions problems with discrimination against minorities in the military and how he overcame prejudice by becoming the first African American general officer to lead Texas National Guard soldiers in combat. Mr. Simpson recounts his overseas tours of duty from Kosovo to Afghanistan.