James T. Hill

James T. Hill
General James T. Hill
Born	(1946-10-08) October 8, 1946 (age 70) Dayton, Ohio
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1968-2004
Rank	General
Commands held	United States Southern Command I Corps 25th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Silver Star (3) Legion of Merit (4) Bronze Star with "V" device (3) Purple Heart

General James Thomas Hill (born October 8, 1946) is a retired U.S. Army General and former commander of United States Southern Command from 2002 to 2004. Hill also served as the Commanding General, I Corps and Fort Lewis.

Hill is from El Paso, Texas, and was commissioned into the Infantry following graduation from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, in 1968. A graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the National War College, he also holds a master's degree in Personnel Management from Central Michigan University.

After completion of the Infantry Officers Basic, Ranger, and Airborne Courses, and an initial assignment at Fort Hood, Texas, Hill served with the 2-502nd Infantry, part of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), in the Republic of Vietnam as a rifle platoon leader, recon platoon leader, company executive officer, and company commander.

Hill's other key assignments include Company Commander, 3d Ranger Company, Fort Benning and Commander, Company A, 2d Squadron, 7th Cavalry, Fort Hood; Battalion Operations Officer and Battalion Commander, 1-35th Infantry, Schofield Barracks; Staff Officer, Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, HQDA; Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of Staff of the Army, and Special Project Officer for the Chief of Staff of the Army. General Hill commanded the "Always First" Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from August 1989 through July 1991, to include service in Southwest Asia during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. General Hill served as Chief of Staff of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from August 1991 through October 1992. General Hill then served as the Assistant Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs on the Joint Staff from October 1992 to July 1994. In July 1994, he assumed duties as the Assistant Division Commander (Support), 25th Infantry Division (Light) to include service in Haiti as the Deputy Commanding General, Multinational Force and Deputy Commander, United States Forces, Haiti, United Nations Mission, Haiti. He served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, United States Army Forces Command, from June 1995 to June 1997. He became Commanding General, 25th Infantry Division (Light) in June 1997, and served in that position until he was named Commanding General, I Corps and Fort Lewis, in September 1999. From 2002 until his retirement, Gen. Hill was the Commanding General of the United States Southern Command [SOUTHCOM], overseeing all US military forces in Central and South America