Omega Psi Phi’s General William E. “Kip” Ward Was the First Commander of U.S. Africa Command

Did you know that the first commander of United States Africa Command is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.? His name is General William E. “Kip” Ward, and he rose from an HBCU ROTC program to the highest ranks of the United States military.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Ward built his path to leadership at a historically Black university. As his official biography documents, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morgan State University and was commissioned as an Army officer through the school’s ROTC program in 1971. He later earned a master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and received honorary doctorates from Morgan State and Virginia State University. He is a life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Ward went on to serve his country for four decades, commanding soldiers on some of the world’s most difficult and dangerous missions. He led a brigade of the 10th Mountain Division during Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, served as a NATO commander in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and worked as the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israeli-Palestinian affairs, taking on assignments that placed him at the center of American foreign policy.

His steady leadership carried him to the top of the Army. Ward rose to the rank of four-star general, one of only a small number of African Americans ever to wear four stars in the history of the United States Army.

In 2007, Ward made history when he was named the inaugural commander of United States Africa Command, known as AFRICOM. As his official biography notes, he stood up the brand-new command from the ground up, overseeing American defense and security cooperation across the entire continent of Africa.

From the ROTC program at Morgan State University to the command of an entire theater of operations, Omega Psi Phi’s General William E. Ward reached heights few ever will.