CW5 Willie Gadsden Jr.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Willie Gadsden Jr. is a native of Walterboro, South Carolina and was born in Williams, SC, July 04, 1978. He entered the U.S. Army on September 11, 1996 and appointed as an Engineer Warrant Officer on July 14, 2006. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership. CW5 Gadsden’s past operational assignments and deployments include: 555th Engineer Brigade (Combat), 62nd Medical Brigade, 1st Engineer Brigade and 130th Engineer Brigade. His broadening assignments include: the United States Army Engineer School (USAES) and Human Resources Command (HRC). His operational deployments include the following: Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation Enduring Freedom.
He's served as the Chief, 120A Warrant Officer Training Division and Engineer Branch Senior Engineer Warrant Officer Career Manager. In August 2019, CW5 Gadsden assumed command of the United States Army Prime Power School (USAPPS) as the Commander & Deputy Commandant. He currently serves as the 6th Engineer Regimental Chief Warrant Officer (RCWO) of the United States Army Engineer School (USAES) and Regiment headquartered at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
He has completed all levels of the Warrant Officer Education System (WOES) - Professional Military Education (PME) culminating with the Warrant Officer Senior Service Education (WOSSE) course, Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC), Advanced Leader’s Course (Commandant’s List), Joint Engineer Operations Course (JEOC), Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma (LSSMBB), Environmental Compliance Officer Course, USACE’s Project Management Course, Supervisor Development Course, Senior Trainer & Education Managers Course, and the Army’s Company Commander & First Sergeant Pre-Command Course (PCC).
His awards and decorations include: The Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4), Army Commendation Medal (4), Army Achievement Medal (1), Army Good Conduct Medal (3rd Award), National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (2 Bronze Stars), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 Bronze Star), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officers Development Ribbon (w/numeral 2), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (w/numeral 5), NATO Medal (ISAF), Army Valorous Unit Award, Army Meritorious Unit Commendation (2).
CW5 Gadsden is the recipient of the Army Engineer Association’s (AEA) Bronze and Silver de Fluery Medals and the Chemical Corps Regimental Association's (CCRA) Order of the Dragon - Legionnaire.