General (Retired) Ronald H. Griffith died in his sleep on 18 July at age 82, having established himself as one of America’s most distinguished and accomplished soldier-statesmen. He served the nation across a wide spectrum of organizations and initiatives for more than half a century with the quiet confidence and commitment that is at the heart of the American soldier.
General Griffith was born in Lafayette GA on 16 March 1936 to two North Georgia natives, Willie Lee and Henry Griffith. The street where he was born was dedicated to him and named “General Ron Griffith Highway” in 1993. He was raised in Fort Oglethorpe GA and attended Lakeview middle and high schools. He was a graduate of the University of Georgia.
During his military career, he rose from the rank of private to four star general, retiring from the U.S. Army on 1 November 1997 after nearly 37 years of active duty service. His last duty position was as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, the second highest military position within the United States Army. Prior to that, he was the Army’s Inspector General, a position he held for four years.
Throughout his service to the nation, General Griffith commanded American soldiers at all levels – squad through division – in both peace and war. A compassionate, committed commander, he inspired extraordinary loyalty and professional achievement in all units he commanded. Wounded in action in Vietnam, he always led from the front, imparting to his soldiers an unshakeable sense of purpose, of dedication and of valor.
Among his most notable achievements during his service, he commanded the 1st Armored Division in Operation DESERT STORM. Under his command, the soldiers of the 1st Armored Division achieved victories of historic proportions, attacking and defeating two modern divisions of the Iraqi Republican Guard in less than 72 hours. The 1st Armored Division was the largest armored division in the history of the U.S. Army, and General Griffith was widely regarded as the Army’s premiere battle commander.
Upon his retirement from the Army, General Griffith continued to serve the nation in the private sector. For more than a decade, General Ronald H. Griffith served the Executive Vice President of MPRI and, concurrently as EVP for the L-3 Services Group. In both positions, he was responsible for the management of two complex Alexandria-based corporate structures and was instrumental in the growth of both companies by over 450% in the course of ten years.
Of more significance, General Griffith was one of the principal architects of new techniques and methodologies for building democratic governance, military and law enforcement institutions around the world. He was repeatedly called upon by the U.S. government to support national security objectives in some of the most hostile environments of the first decade of the 21st century. His vision, his courage and his deep and uncompromising commitment to excellence were instrumental in building competent, confident military and law enforcement institutions, providing security, justice and well-being to peoples emerging from the turmoil of conflict.
He also dedicated his talents and experiences to a range of advisory positions, including as a member of the Board of Regents at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, on the Board of Visitors at the Virginia Military Institute and on the board of the Aurora Foundation.
Throughout his life, General Ron Griffith was the very embodiment of the character of America: courageous in war, compassionate in peace and committed to the defense of the nation.
Survivors include his wife, Dr. Hurdis M. Griffith, dean emeritus of the Rutgers University College of Nursing; two daughters, Laura Thompson and Leigh Ann (Douglas) Todd; siblings Jane and Larry (Carol) Griffith; and five grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the National Museum of the United States Army, online at Armyhistory.org, or mailed to the Army Historical Foundation, 2425 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA.
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