LTG James B. Bartholomees III ’95 was promoted to lieutenant general and officially took command of the U.S. Military Academy as the 62nd Superintendent, succeeding LTG Steven W. Gilland ’90, during a change of command ceremony at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 17, in Eisenhower Hall.
“For nearly 225 years, the United States Military Academy has been synonymous with leadership, a wellspring of professional excellence producing generations of leaders of character who have led the Army and nation in peace and war, unified by the ideals that serve as the bedrock of this institution: Duty, Honor, Country,” said Bartholomees. “I am honored by the opportunity to lead this extraordinary institution and its outstanding team of professionals.”
A 1995 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Bartholomees most recently served as commanding general, 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Hawaii. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College, and U.S. Army War College.
He also served as the G3 and chief of staff of U.S. Army Pacific, and executive officer to the director of the Army staff. He commanded the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) in Europe, the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord as well as 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division in Schofield Barracks, HI.
Bartholomees is married and has four children. Bartholomees and his wife, Kristin, have 26 West Point graduates—spanning the Classes of 1890 through 2013—in their family lineage. The family includes six general officers, including two division commanders. Three graduates in their family made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation; another was a POW in World War II.
Bartholomees’ previous field grade assignments include operations officer, executive officer and deputy commander, 75th Ranger Regiment, as well as liaison officer and executive officer, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. His previous company grade assignments include company command and staff in 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, as well as 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. He began his Army career as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division and platoon leader in 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.
His peacekeeping deployments include Haiti with the 82nd Airborne Division in 1996 and Bosnia-Herzegovina with the 3rd Infantry Division in 2000–2001. He deployed several times to Iraq, including the initial assault with 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in 2003, as well as multiple deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2016.
The West Point Association of Graduates has been one of the primary ways Bartholomees has remained connected to the Academy throughout his career. He has been giving to the Margin of Excellence every month since graduation—supporting his Class Gift Fund—for more than 30 years.
Bartholomees was featured earlier in the month on the “5 Questions for a General” podcast produced by the Modern War Institute at West Point. In the podcast, Bartholomees explained why discipline, leader initiative, and strengthening soldiers through personal connection remain timeless leadership principles, even as the character of warfare rapidly evolves through developments like drones, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence.
The August 17 change of command ceremony was presided over by Vice Chief of Staff of the Army General Christopher C. LaNeve. It marked the Academy’s leadership transition from Gilland, who served as the 61st Superintendent since June 2022 and is retiring from the U.S. Army after 36 years of service.
“The U.S. Military Academy is far more than an institution. It is a place of purpose, character, and selfless service. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as one of its stewards,” said Gilland.
Read full biography at westpoint.edu.
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Photo: U.S. Army Photos by PAO/USMA
