Major General Jerry D. Icenhower

Major General (Brevet) Jerry D. Icenhower served more than 40 years in the Texas Military Department from February 1963 through 2009, spanning nearly two-thirds of his life in service to his country and state. He commanded units at the company to brigade level. His service has been marked by a dedication to duty and proven leadership. He made a difference and helped to transform the Texas Military Department into what it is today.
General Icenhower enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard on February 1963, in the rank of Private, as a member of the 49th Armored Division. He attended basic training in Ft. Polk, Louisiana and remained there through his advanced individual training earning the 11B military occupational specialty of infantryman. Immediately he stood out among his peers and was one of four out of 200 selected to attend the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy at Fort Polk where he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Shortly after, he fired the highest recorded score on the M-60 machine gun at his Advanced Individual Training regiment.
General Icenhower was selected to attend Officer Candidate School and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on June 19, 1965 where he served as a rifle platoon leader for a mechanized infantry company. Over the course of the next several years he served in many critical leadership roles within the 49th Armored Division starting as an anti-tank platoon leader then company commander, moving on to operations officer, executive officer and finally landing a battalion command position with a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.
Later he served as the Inspector General and filled brigade leadership roles as the executive officer, and served as brigade commander of the 49th Armored Division's 3rd Brigade. During annual training in June 1986, General Icenhower was recognized for exceptional leadership and his unit was recommended for the Texas Governor's Unit Citation, for demonstrating proficiency in readiness through well-executed tactical soldier training that prepared them for combat and refined the skills of its leaders.
In April 1993, General Icenhower was appointed to serve as Commandant of the Texas Military Academy where he solidified the standing of the state's Officer Candidate School program and appointed the school's first female director prior to his retirement from the Texas Army National Guard at the rank of Colonel on September 10,1995.
General Icenhower continued his service to the state and joined the Texas State Guard where he served in many key positions, to include deputy commanding general responsible for three Army brigades and an air wing. He also served as a Task Force Commander in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita working with local civil authorities and managing more than 24 shelters in both hurricanes. He retired from the Texas State Guard in April 2006.
Although retired, General Icenhower continued to serve the Texas Military Department through his involvement with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and National Guard Association serving as an advocate for guardsmen benefits and force structure equipment and facilities through legislative efforts. He was appointed Chairman of the Texas ESGR Committee by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and appointed Chairman of the Department of Defense ESGR's Strategic Planning Committee in Washington, D.C. Currently, he is Chairman of the Employment and Training Advisory Committee of the Texas Veterans Commission.

Texas Army National Guard

2017