Wesley E. Craig Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Craig as a major general in 2011 | |
| Born | (1946-09-13)September 13, 1946 (age 79) Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1968–2006 2011–2015 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | Pennsylvania National Guard |
| Commands | Adjutant General ofPennsylvania 28th Infantry Division 56th Infantry Brigade 1st Squadron,104th Cavalry Regiment |
| Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Army Meritorious Service Medal (4) Army Commendation Medal (2) Army Achievement Medal Complete List |
| Alma mater | Temple University United States Army War College |
| Spouse | Marda L. Phelps[1][2][3] |
| Children | 2[1] |
| Other work | Manager and executive,Strawbridge & Clothier |
Wesley E. Craig Jr. (born 13 September 1946) is a retiredUnited States Army officer. A longtime member of thePennsylvania Army National Guard, he attained the rank ofmajor general as commander of the28th Infantry Division andAdjutant General ofPennsylvania. Craig served from 1968 to 2006 and 2011 to 2015, and his awards included theArmy Distinguished Service Medal,Legion of Merit,Army Meritorious Service Medal with threeoak leaf clusters,Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, andArmy Achievement Medal.
A native ofGermantown, Pennsylvania, Craig was raised and educated inOreland, Pennsylvania and graduated fromCheltenham High School in 1964. In 1968, Craig received aBBA degree fromTemple University. He completed theReserve Officers' Training Corps program while in college, and he was commissioned as asecond lieutenant in theTransportation Corps and served on army active duty from August 1968 to August 1970. He was then was assigned to the Army Reserve Control Group, where he remained from August 1970 to January 1971. After his active duty army service, Craig pursued a civilian career as a manager and executive with theStrawbridge & Clothier department store chain.
Craig joined thePennsylvania Army National Guard in January 1971. Initially assigned to 1st Squadron, 223rd Cavalry Regiment, Craig remained with the organization when it was redesignated the104th Cavalry Regiment in 1975. He served in several staff positions with the 104th Cavalry, and remained with the organization until September 1986, when he was assigned as human resources staff officer (S-1) on the staff of the 213th Regional Support Group. In February 1988, he was assigned to command of 1-104th Cavalry, and he held this position until January 1992. From January 1992 to January 1996, he was executive officer of the56th Infantry Brigade, and he commanded the brigade from January 1996 to September 1999. From September 1999 to November 2000, Craig was assigned to the headquarters of Pennsylvania's State Area Command and performed duty at the28th Infantry Division headquarters.
Craig was the 28th Division's assistant division commander from December 2000 to October 2003. From October 2003 to October 2006, Craig commanded the 28th Infantry Division. During his command, the division deployed over 8,000 Soldiers to the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Craig conducted numerous command visits to forward locations. In addition, he led the division during its 2005 participation in theExercise Bright Star multi-national mission in Egypt. Craig retired in 2006; in 2011, he returned to active service when he was selected to serve asAdjutant General ofPennsylvania. He held this position until retiring again in 2015.
Wesley Earle Craig Jr. was born inGermantown, Pennsylvania on 13 September 1946,[3] the son of W. Earle Craig Sr. and Grace E. (Boyles) Craig.[4] He family resided inOreland, and in 1964 Craig graduated fromCheltenham High School.[5] He then attendedTemple University, from which he received hisBachelor of Business Administration degree in 1968.[6]
While at Temple, Craig took part in theReserve Officers' Training Corps program, which he completed as a distinguished military graduate; at graduation, he received his commission as asecond lieutenant in theUnited States Army.[6] Assigned to theTransportation Corps, he completed his officer basic course atFort Eustis, Virginia.[6] He then served atFort Stewart, Georgia until August 1970, where his postings included battalion legal officer, company executive officer, and battalion assistant adjutant.[6] From August 1970 to January 1971, Craig was assigned to theUnited States Army Reserve Control Group.[6] Upon returning to Pennsylvania following his active army service, Craig began a civilian career as a manager and executive withStrawbridge & Clothier, a Philadelphia-area department store chain.[3]
In January 1971, Craig joined 1st Squadron, 223rd Cavalry Regiment, a unit of thePennsylvania Army National Guard.[6] Assigned as the squadron motor officer, he was responsible for organizational maintenance of the organization's equipment and vehicles.[6] In January 1975, the 223rd Cavalry was redesignated the104th Cavalry Regiment, and Craig continued in his role as motor officer.[6] In September 1975, he was assigned as 1st Squadron's logistics staff officer (S-4), and he served until September 1976.[6] He was then reassigned to the motor officer's position, where he continued to serve until February 1981.[6]
From February 1981 to February 1982, Craig was assigned as 1-104th Cavalry's intelligence staff officer (S-2).[6] He was then appointed as squadron plans, operations, and training officer (S-3), where he remained until May 1984.[6] From May 1984 to September 1986, Craig served as executive officer and second-in-command of 1-104th Cavalry.[6] He was then assigned as the human resources staff officer (S-1) on the staff of the213th Regional Support Group, where he served until February 1988.[6]
From February 1998 to January 1992, Craig commanded 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry.[6] He was then assigned as executive officer of the56th Infantry Brigade, and he served in this position until January 1996.[6] He was next assigned to command the brigade, and he carried out this assignment until September 1999.[6]
From September 1999 to November 2000, Craig was assigned to the Pennsylvania National Guard's State Area Command while attached to the headquarters of the28th Infantry Division.[6] From December 2000 to October 2003, he was the division's assistant division commander.[6] In October 2003, he succeededWalter F. Pudlowski Jr. as commander of the division and was promoted tomajor general.[6] During his command, the 28th Division deployed soldiers worldwide for missions including peacekeeping inKosovo and combat inAfghanistan andIraq.[6] Craig's duties included numerous command visits to Pennsylvania soldiers serving in those forward locations.[6] In addition, he led the division inEgypt during its 2005 participation in the multi-nationalExercise Bright Star mission.[6]
Craig retired from the military in October 2006.[6] In February 2011, he was selected to serve asAdjutant General ofPennsylvania.[6] Pennsylvania'sPartnership for Peace counterparts includeLithuania; in addition to globalwar on terrorism deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Pennsylvania troops served inLithuania, Latvia, andEstonia during Craig's tenure, and made numerous command visits to each country.[6] He retired for the second time in January 2015.[6]
Craig's professional and civic memberships included:[6][10]
Among Craig's federal awards and decorations were:[6]
Craig's state awards included:[6]
Craig is a recipient of theMary G. Roebling Distinguished Service Award from the First Region of the Association of the United States Army for his military service.[10] In addition, he received theOffice of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service for his post-retirement support of the military.[10] In 2016, Craig received induction in to the US Army National ROTC Hall of Fame.[11] In 2023, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Hall of Fame.[12]
Craig's dates of rank were:[6][10]