Clyde A. Vaughn (born April 27, 1946) is a retired

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

who served as Director of the Army National Guard.

Early life

Clyde Allen Vaughn, Jr. was born in Columbia, Missouri on April 27, 1946. He graduated from Dexter High School in

Dexter, Missouri Dexter is a city in Stoddard County, Missouri, United States, founded in 1873. The population was 7,864 at the 2010 census. History Dexter was platted in 1873. Mr. Dex, an early settler, gave the community the name of his horse, Dexter. Dexter ...

, received a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...

degree in education from

Southeast Missouri State University Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) is a public university in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In addition to the main campus, the university has four regional campuses offering full degree programs and a secondary campus housing the Holland Col ...

in 1968 and became a high school history teacher and football coach in

. While at college he became a member of the

Sigma Tau Gamma Sigma Tau Gamma (), commonly known as Sig Tau, is a United States college social fraternity founded on June 28, 1920, at the University of Central Missouri (then known as Central Missouri State Teachers College). The fraternity was founded as a re ...

fraternity, Alpha Phi chapter.

Start of military career

Vaughn enlisted in the

Missouri Army National Guard The Missouri National Guard (MONG), commonly known as the Missouri Guard, is a component of the Army National Guard and Missouri State Department of the National Guard. It is composed of Army and Air National Guard units. The Department office is ...

in 1969. He received his commission as a

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 1 ...

Engineers Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considerin ...

after graduating from

Officer Candidate School An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country. How OCS is run differs between countries and services. Typ ...

in 1974. His early assignments included

platoon leader {{unreferenced, date=February 2013 A platoon leader (NATO) or platoon commander (more common in Commonwealth militaries and the US Marine Corps) is the officer in charge of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer – a second or first ...

and staff assignments, primarily in the 1140th Engineer

Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

, and he commanded the battalion's Company C from 1980 to 1983. Vaughn also served temporary active duty assignments in

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...

and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

, including postings to

United States Army South United States Army South is an Army service component command of United States Southern Command whose area of responsibility includes 31 countries and 15 areas of special sovereignty in Central and South America and the Caribbean. It is headquart ...

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

, and operations and training officer (G3) for Task Force 1169 in

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

. He later carried out assignments at the

National Guard Bureau The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was cr ...

before serving as Senior National Guard Advisor for U.S. Army South from 1994 to 1995.

Later career

From 1997 to 2000 Vaughn was Chief of the Operations Division at National Guard Bureau, and he was assigned as the Army's Deputy Director for Military Support to Civil Authorities from 2000 to 2002. He was on Interstate 395 en route to

the Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metonym ...

on the morning of September 11, 2001. He observed the hijacked Flight 77 Boeing 757 in flight, parked his car, ran to the building, and took part in the initial response to the casualties and damage caused when the plane crashed into the west side of the building. In September, 2002 Vaughn was assigned as Deputy Director of the Army National Guard, succeeding

Michael J. Squier Michael J. Squier (born May 17, 1946) is a retired United States Army Brigadier General (United States), Brigadier General who served as Deputy Director of the Army National Guard. Early life Michael J. Squier was born in Boise, Idaho, on May 1 ...

, and he served until November, 2003. From November, 2003 to June, 2005 Vaughn was Assistant for National Guard Matters to the

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: a ...

. Vaughn was appointed Director of the Army National Guard in June, 2005, and he served until retiring in 2009. He was succeeded by

Raymond W. Carpenter Raymond W. Carpenter (born 1948) is a retired United States Army major general who served as acting Director of the Army National Guard. Early life and education Raymond W. Carpenter was born in Sturgis, South Dakota in 1948, and graduated from ...

in an acting capacity until William E. Ingram Jr. became director in 2011. One of the initiatives that operated during Vaughn's tenure, the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), was later the subject of controversy and investigations. G-RAP offered a $2,000 bonus to Army National Guard members for each new recruit they helped bring into the National Guard during its expansion as part of the

Global War on Terrorism The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...

. As a recruiting tool, G-RAP was widely viewed as a success, because it helped the National Guard meet or exceed its annual end strength goal of 350,000. Subsequent investigations indicated that abuse of the program might have involved more than $10 million in fraudulent bonus payments, and perhaps as much as $50 million. In 2015, Vaughn received a written reprimand from the U.S. Army, in which senior leaders criticized him for mismanaging G-RAP; Vaughn strongly denied the allegations. Later investigations revealed that some Army leaders overstated the amount of fraud; of more than 106,000 soldiers who received payments under G-RAP, fewer than 130 were convicted of fraud, and the fraud involved less than $3 million in a program which expended $350 million.

Education

In addition to his degree from Southeast Missouri State, Vaughn is a 1989 graduate of the

United States Army Command and General Staff College The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...

. He graduated from the

United States Army War College The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army educational institution in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instruction to senior military offi ...

in 1994, simultaneously receiving a

Master of Public Administration The Master of Public Administration (M.P.Adm., M.P.A., or MPA) is a specialized higher professional post graduate degree in public administration, similar/ equivalent to the Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the issues of ...

degree from

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Ship or SU) is a public university in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Founded in 1871, it later became the first teachers college in Pennsylvania. ...

Major awards

Vaughn's awards include:

Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army) The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. The ...

;

Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...

;

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

(5);

Meritorious Service Medal (United States) __NOTOC__ The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16 ...

(6);

Army Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

; and

Army Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to rece ...

(2). In 2010 he received the

Raymond S. McLain Lieutenant General Raymond Stallings McLain (April 4, 1890 – December 14, 1954) was a senior United States Army officer. In the words of General George C. Marshall, Raymond S. McLain "gave great distinction to the term 'citizen soldier. His serv ...

Medal from the

Association of the United States Army The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) is a private, non-profit organization that serves as the professional association of the United States Army. Founded in 1950, it has 121 chapters worldwide. Membership is open to everyone, not ju ...

Legacy

In 2010 the Army National Guard's GED Plus program, which enables recruits to complete their high school equivalency before beginning their initial training, was named for him. Vaughn spearheaded the creation of the program in 2006.

Family

Vaughn's father, Clyde A. Vaughn, Sr., served in the National Guard as a

Warrant Officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mo ...

and retired in 1981. Vaughn is married to Carolyn K. Vaughn. Their son Chad is a fighter pilot in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through ...

.Noreen Hyslop, Dexter Daily Statesman
Vaughn 1 of 6 Chosen
, February 23, 2009

Chronological list of assignments

#August 1974 – January 1976, Platoon Leader, 1221st Transportation Company, Dexter, Missouri #January 1976 – May 1976, Platoon Leader, C Company, 1140th Engineer Battalion,

Sikeston, Missouri Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the state of Missouri, United States. It is situated just north of the " Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By wa ...

#May 1976 – January 1978, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, A Company, 1140th Engineer Battalion,

Charleston, Missouri Charleston is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,056 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Mississippi County. It is a home to a local correctional facility. History Charleston is the largest town ...

#January 1978 – February 1979, Reconnaissance Officer, Headquarters Company, 1140th Engineer Battalion,

Cape Girardeau, Missouri Cape Girardeau ( , french: Cap-Girardeau ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 census, the population was 39,540. The city is one of two principal citi ...

#February 1979 – January 1980, Engineering Officer, 1140th Engineer Battalion, Cape Girardeau, Missouri #January 1980 – November 1980, Executive Officer, C Company, 1140th Engineer Battalion, Sikeston, Missouri #November 1980 – August 1983, Company Commander, C Company, 1140th Engineer Battalion, Sikeston, Missouri #August 1983 – August 1984, Utilities Engineer, 135th Engineer Group, Cape Girardeau, Missouri #September 1984 – December 1984, Operations Officer, 135th Engineer Group, Cape Girardeau, Missouri #December 1984 – June 1985, Operations Officer, 135th Engineer Group,

Fort Clayton Fort Clayton was a United States Army base in the former Panama Canal Zone, later part of the Republic of Panama. Base Fort Clayton was located northwest of Balboa, Panama, with the Panama Canal located nearby. It closed in 1999 pursua ...

#July 1985 – November 1985, Exercise Officer, 193rd Infantry Brigade, Fort Clayton, Panama #November 1985 – June 1986, G3 Staff Officer, 193rd Infantry Brigade, Fort Clayton, Panama #June 1986 – June 1987, Executive Director, C Engineer Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, United States Army South, Fort Clayton, Panama #June 1987 – November 1987, S3 Officer, Task Force 1169,

#November 1987 – July 1988, Executive Director, C Engineer Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, United States Army South, Fort Clayton, Panama #August 1988 – June 1989, Student, United States Army Command and General Staff College,

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest perman ...

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to ...

#June 1989 – July 1990, Staff Action Officer, National Guard Bureau, Pentagon,

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

#July 1990 – May 1992, Task Force Commander, National Guard Bureau Operations and Training Division, Army National Guard Readiness Center,

Arlington, Virginia Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county i ...

#June 1992 – May 1993, Chief, Operations and Exercises Branch, Army National Guard Operations Division, Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia #June 1993 – June 1994, Student, United States Army War College,

Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The site of the U.S. Army War College, it is the nation's second-oldest active military base. The first structures were built in 1757, during the French and ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

#July 1994 – August 1995, Senior Army National Guard Advisor for Reserve Affairs, United States Army South, Fort Clayton, Panama #September 1995 – November 1997, Commander, Exercise Support Command and Deputy Chief of Staff Reserve Affairs-National Guard, United States Army South, Fort Clayton, Panama #December 1997 – February 2000, Chief, Operations Division, Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia #February 2000 – September 2002, Deputy Chief of Staff, G3, United States Army, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia #September 2002 – November 2003, Deputy Director, Army National Guard, Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia #November 2003 – June 2005, Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Guard Matters, Office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia #June 2005 – May 2009, Director, Army National Guard, Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia

Awards and decorations

Effective dates of promotions

References

External resources

Clyde A. Vaughn
a
National Guard Bureau General Officer Management Office
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughn, Clyde A. Living people 1946 births People from Columbia, Missouri People from Dexter, Missouri Southeast Missouri State University alumni Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania alumni United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army War College alumni Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army generals National Guard (United States) generals