The commandant of the Army War College is the senior United States Army officer commanding the United States Army War College. As a direct reporting unit of the United States Army, the commandant is responsible to the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the United States Army for the successful running of the Army War College. Since 1986, the commandant's official residence is Quarters 1 in Carlisle Barracks.

The position dates from 27 November 1901, when General Order 155 established a War College Board to advise the President of the United States and the direct the "intellectual exercise" of the Army. Major General Samuel B.M. Young was appointed president of the Board, thus making him the first President of the Army War College, despite the college only beginning operations under his successor, Brigadier General Tasker H. Bliss. The position was retitled as Commandant of the Army War College with the appointment of Major General James W. McAndrew to the presidency in 1919. Five commandants later became superintendent of the United States Military Academy.

The commandantship was vacant for two separate periods, both during wartime when classes were suspended: from August 1918 to June 1919 (during World War I) and from July 1940 to January 1950 (during World War II and the early postwar era).

The commandant, since 1986, has consistently held the rank of major general.

Commandants List of commandants in chronological order #RankNamePhotoTerm beganTerm endedTerm length Notes1Major GeneralSamuel B. M. Young1 July 190215 August 1903Oversaw the initial establishment of the Army War College. Later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1903 to 1904 under the General Staff Act of 1903, which also enshrined the office of president of the Army War College into statutory law.2Brigadier GeneralTasker H. Bliss15 August 190315 April 19053Brigadier GeneralThomas H. Barry4 December 190521 February 1907Later served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1910 to 1912.4Brigadier GeneralWilliam W. Wotherspoon9 October 190719 June 19095Brigadier GeneralTasker H. Bliss21 June 19091 December 1909Later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1917 to 1918.6Brigadier GeneralWilliam W. Wotherspoon1 December 190913 January 1912Later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army in 1914.7Brigadier GeneralAlbert L. Mills2 February 191231 August 1912Medal of Honor recipient in the Spanish–American War. Previously served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1898 to 1906. Later served as Chief of the Militia Bureau from 1912 to 1916.8Brigadier GeneralWilliam Crozier1 September 19121 July 19139Brigadier GeneralHunter Liggett1 July 191322 April 191410Brigadier GeneralMontgomery M. Macomb22 April 191412 October 191611Brigadier GeneralJoseph E. Kuhn1 February 191725 August 1917May 1917June 191925 monthsArmy War College classes suspended during World War I.12Major GeneralJames W. McAndrew15 June 19196 July 192113Major GeneralEdward F. McGlachlin Jr.14 July 192130 June 192314Major GeneralHanson E. Ely1 July 192330 November 192715Major GeneralWilliam D. Connor20 December 192730 April 193216Major GeneralGeorge S. Simonds1 May 193231 January 193517Major GeneralMalin Craig4 February 19351 October 1935Later served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1935 to 1939.–ColonelWalter S. Grant(Acting)3 October 193523 June 193618Brigadier GeneralWalter S. Grant24 June 193630 June 193719Major GeneralJohn L. DeWitt30 June 193730 November 193920Brigadier GeneralPhilip B. Peyton1 December 193930 June 19401 July 194025 January 1950Army War College classes suspended during and after World War II.21Lieutenant GeneralJoseph M. Swing1 April 195031 July 195122Lieutenant GeneralEdward M. Almond31 August 19516 December 195223Major GeneralJames E. Moore20 April 19535 February 195524Major GeneralClyde D. Eddleman27 May 195510 October 1955Later served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1960 to 1962.25Major GeneralMax S. Johnson10 October 195511 February 195926Major GeneralWilliam P. Ennis Jr.16 February 195931 July 196027Major GeneralThomas W. Dunn8 August 196016 February 196228Major GeneralWilliam F. Train1 May 196230 June 196429Major GeneralEugene A. Salet1 July 196422 August 196730Major GeneralWilliam J. McCaffrey15 September 19676 July 196931Major GeneralGeorge S. Eckhardt7 July 196915 March 197132Major GeneralFranklin M. Davis Jr.4 May 197126 June 197433Major GeneralDeWitt C. Smith Jr.1 July 197431 July 197734Major GeneralRobert G. Yerks1 August 197731 July 197835Major GeneralDeWitt C. Smith Jr.1 August 197830 June 198036Major GeneralJack N. Merritt1 July 198022 July 198237Major GeneralRichard D. Lawrence2 August 198222 September 1983Later served as president of the National Defense University from 1983 to 1986.38Major GeneralThomas F. Healy26 October 198319 June 198539Major GeneralJames E. Thompson Jr.20 June 198530 September 198740Major GeneralHoward D. Graves1 October 19877 July 1989Later served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1991 to 1996.41Major GeneralPaul G. Cerjan10 July 198918 August 199142Major GeneralWilliam A. Stofft19 August 199125 July 199443Major GeneralRichard A. Chilcoat29 July 199425 July 199744Major GeneralRobert H. Scales Jr.3 August 199728 July 200045Major GeneralRobert R. Ivany31 July 200028 July 200346Major GeneralDavid H. Huntoon Jr.15 August 200321 January 2008Later served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 2010 to 2013.47Major GeneralRobert M. Williams22 January 200820 June 201048Major GeneralGregg F. Martin21 June 201014 June 2012Later served as President of the National Defense University from 2012 to 2014.49Major GeneralAnthony A. Cucolo III15 June 201213 June 201450Major GeneralWilliam E. Rapp13 June 201428 July 201751Major GeneralJohn S. Kem28 July 201730 July 202052Major GeneralStephen J. Maranian30 July 202031 August 2021Later served as Commanding General, 56th Artillery Command from 2021 to 2023. Directed revisions and innovations in curriculum and teaching methodologies, and hired faculty experienced with emerging issues.53Major GeneralDavid C. Hill31 August 20211 August 2025Oversaw innovations to both resident and distributed learning curricula as well as the construction of a state of the art academic facility.54Major GeneralTrevor J. Bredenkamp1 August 202529 July 202655Brigadier GeneralAntwan L. Dunmyer29 July 2026Incumbent

See also Superintendent of the United States Military Academy Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy President of the Naval War College Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy List of commandants of cadets of the United States Air Force Academy

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