Major General Kenneth Wickham, Essay Example

Arguably, the United States remains the world’s leading military super power amongst other things. The advent and demise of the Cold War that witnessed the United States and her allies emerging victors of the most horrifying arms race in the annals of humanity did play a significant role in reinforcing the United States’ military supremacy. It is worth stating that being the great military powerhouse that she is today, is a direct reflection of the level of discipline and professionalism that defines all aspects of the United States’ Army. In the light of this fact, this essay will be taking historical step backwards to discuss the office of the Adjutant General, which is part of the entire United States Army structure, with specific emphasis on Major General Kenneth Wickham, one of the distinguished servicemen ever to occupy this office. His character, discipline and professionalism will be highlighted as this essay advances.

Going by conventional precepts, there are three standard ways that are used either exclusively or concurrently to refer to the office of the Adjutant General in the United States (Hews, 1983). Meanwhile for the purpose of convenience this essay aligns itself with the description offered by Hews (1983), which says the occupant of the office serves as the chief administrative officer of the Army of the United States of America. It is in this context that the place of Major General Kenneth Wickham in the history of the office can be introduced as well as exhaustively discussed.

Major General Kenneth Wickham, enrolled into the United States Military Academy, West Point where he graduated in 1938 (Wickham, 1991). Having being commissioned as an officer, he served the United States Army in various capacities until his eventual elevation to occupy the office of the Adjutant General of the United States Army—a position which he occupied from 1966-1971. His tenure as Adjutant General of the United States Army was by all intends and purposes the most critical period of the history of the United States Army considering the fact that the army was ruthlessly saddled with the infamous war in Vietnam. Unlike his predecessors or successors, the period 1966 and 1971 was the most trying moment of the Vietnam War. A period in which the President Johnson administration was caught up in the dilemma of continues engagement or withdrawal from Vietnam (Hews 1983).

The period of his stewardship were trying times for both the administration of the day and the military hierarchy, culminating into what Senator Robert F. Kennedy was quoted as saying in his criticism of the military engagement moving “on a road from which there is no turning back, a road that leads to catastrophe for all mankind.” President Johnson therefore needed the best of his military command more than anytime in living history. It is on record that the President relieved a good number of military heavyweights off their offices for under performance. All this while the military administrative system was left unscathed by dint of the confidence vested in their efficiency; on this account the chief receives a pat on the back.

It is worth stating before the close of this paper that, my choice of General Kenneth Wickham as the subject of discussion of this paper is informed by the very enduring legacy of his character and the input he brought to the office of adjutant general. Effective administrative balance was seriously needed to engineer a suitable environment to deal with the huge domestic and international public opinion outcry against the war in Vietnam but above all the tact of the overall military strategy on the ground. Being in the administrative driver’s seat during such trying moments is by all standards highly commendable.

Reference List

Adjutant General’s Office (1979). The Adjutant General’s Office. Washington, D.C.: Adjutant General’s Office. pp. 42-43. OCLC 5929893

Hewes, James E., Jr. (1983). From Root to McNamara – Army Organization and Administration. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. pp. 403-404. Retrieved from http://www.history.army.mil/books/root/appB.htm.   on August 11, 2009.

Kenneth G Wickham (1991). An adjutant general remembers: Major General Kenneth Wickham : a military memoir. Adjutant General’s Corps Regimental Association. 1st edition (1991)