Michael S . Tucker Lieutenant General Michael S . Tucker is a United States Army General who formerly served as the Commanding General of the U . S . Army ' s 2nd Infantry Division . On July 6 , 2012 , the Chief of Staff of the Army announced his reassignment as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff , G - 3 / 5 / 7 , United States Army , Washington , DC . On March 9 , 2007 , " The Washington Post " reported Army Vice Chief of Staff General Richard A . Cody ' s announcement that Tucker , a prior - enlisted soldier and a non - member of the Army Medical Corps , had been selected to take over the Deputy Commander position at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as part of a major " leadership restructuring at Walter Reed … designed to attack problems and lapses exposed " in the growing scandal over poor healthcare and treatment conditions for wounded combat outpatients at the historic medical facility , exposed in an undercover expose by Post reporters . On August 2 , General Tucker was promoted to Lieutenant General and named as the new commander of First Army stationed at Rock Island Arsenal . Background and Experience . Major General Tucker entered the United States Army as a private in 1972 and served as a cavalry scout for 1st Battalion , 35th Armor in Erlangen , Germany until he departed as a staff sergeant 1977 . In 1979 , following two years as a drill sergeant in the 3rd Basic Combat Training Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood , Missouri , General Tucker was accepted to Officer Candidate School , where he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate . After being commissioned in armor , General Tucker ' s first assignment was tank platoon leader , B Company , 1st Battalion , 35th Armor , Germany . During this tour from January 1980 until July 1984 he served as a Tank Company Executive Officer , Battalion Motor Officer , commanded the Battalion ’ s Combat Support Company and C Company . Following stateside schooling , General Tucker returned to Germany in January 1986 to command Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 1st Battalion , 35th Armor , then served as the Battalion Adjutant , Deputy Sub - Community Commander of Ferris Barracks , and finally as the S3 , 1st Battalion , 35th Armor in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm . Major General Tucker attended Army Command and General Staff College in 1991 - 92 and was then assigned as an Assistant Professor , United States Military Academy , West Point , New York . He was then selected to serve as a joint staff officer , and was assigned as Chief , Joint Network Simulations at the Air Command and Staff College , Maxwell Air Force Base , Montgomery , Alabama . Major General Tucker commanded 1st Battalion , 64th Armor , 3d Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) from June 1996 to June 1998 and following attendance at the U . S . Army War College , was assigned as the G3 , 3d Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) from June 1999 to February 2001 . In March 2001 , he assumed command of 1st Brigade , 1st Armored Division , which culminated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom , and then assumed duties as Executive Officer , Commanding General U . S . Army Europe and Seventh Army . After completing his tour as Executive Officer , he assumed duties as the Assistant Division Commander ( Maneuver ) for the 1st Armored Division from August 2004 to August 2005 . He then moved over to be the Assistant Division Commander ( Support ) from August 2005 until June 2006 . Shortly after , General Tucker was selected to succeed Albert Bryant , Jr . as the Deputy Commanding General / Assistant Commandant , United States Army Armor Center and Fort Knox , and then assigned to Walter Reed in April 2007 . After completing his tour at Walter Reed , Major General Tucker was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations , International Security Assistance Force ( Afghanistan ) , where he served until 2009 . General Tucker then commanded Second Infantry Division in Korea from September 2009 to Septempter 2011 , followed by his assignment as the Department of the Army ' s Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff G - 3 / 5 / 7 prior to his selection for promotion to Lieutenant General and command of First Army . Education . General Tucker ' s civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland , a Master ' s Degree in Military Arts and Sciences from the U . S . Army Command and General Staff College , and a Master ' s Degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University . Assignment in Wake of Walter Reed Army Medical Center Controversy . On February 18 , 2007 , the " Washington Post " began publishing a series of articles outlining cases of neglect at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center reported by wounded soldiers and their family members . As additional coverage by the Post and other news outlets continued , congressional hearings convened , and a growing scandal emerged . The sitting commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center , Major General Donald Weightman , resigned his command , and Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey was asked to step down as well , with the Army promising further restructuring and leadership changes to address the situation . On March 8 , 2007 , Army Vice Chief of Staff General Richard A . Cody ’ s announced that General Tucker would report to Washington to take over the Deputy Commander position at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as part of a major “ leadership restructuring at Walter Reed … . designed to attack problems and lapses exposed ” in the growing scandal . Additionally , General Cody expressed his wish to “ ensure that veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan receive the care and respect they deserve ” and offered his belief that “ new leadership is key to fixing problems that let outpatient soldiers fall through the cracks . ” Explaining the Army ’ s selection of a non - medical corps Tucker , General Cody pointed to Tucker ’ s experience as a combat officer : " He understands soldiers . He understands leading in combat . He understands how to run large organizations . He ' s going to be the guy that we look to to be the soldiers ' and families ' advocate as they go through inpatient and outpatient , but also he ' s going to be the bureaucratic buster . . . and take on this bureaucracy that at times frustrates our soldiers . " Awards and decorations . Lieutenant General Tucker has also earned the German Ranger Badge .