Brigadier General
William M. Lenaers

Brigadier General William M. LenaersMaj. Gen. William "Mike" Lenaers entered the United States Army in 1971. He received an ROTC Commission upon graduation from the University of Santa Clara with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Oceanography from Oregon State University. His military education includes the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.

In 1976, Lenaers was assigned to the Naval Support Force with the U.S. Antarctic Research Program at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. He served for over two years in support of research in this challenging environment.

He next served in the Armor Support Battalion at Fort Hood, Texas. He was next assigned to the United States Military Academy and then attended the US Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, KS. He returned to Germany to serve with the 21st Support Command in Kaiserslautern. He then served in the first of three assignments with the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, at Headquarters, Department of the Army.

Lenaers then began several command assignments starting as Commander of the 707th Main Support Battalion, Fort Ord, California and the 1st Infantry Division Support Command, at Fort Riley, Kansas. He was then assigned as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Ammunition, Headquarters, Army Materiel Command.

Lenaers next served as the Commander of U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Armament Research Development and Engineering Center, at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey.

In 2001, he took command of the 13th Corps Support Command at Fort Hood, Texas. During his tenure several subordinate units were deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Just prior to his departure the command's headquarters and remaining units were alerted for deployment to Iraq.

Lenaers' next assignment was as the 32nd Chief of Ordnance. He assumed command at a critical time in both the Army's and the Ordnance Corps' history. Both were involved in two major wars and undergoing a transformation simultaneously.

Maj. Gen. Lenaers' final assignment was as the Commanding General of the United States Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Michigan. While in command, he continued to support the Future Combat System research and development.

Maj. Gen. William "Mike" Lenaers retired in September 2008 after 37 years of service. He led the way in Army transformation, research and development and the maintenance and repair of equipment. He is currently the Vice President for Readiness and Sustainment for BAE Systems.