ILARNG Commander Promoted to Brigadier General

Twenty-four years after commissioning as a second lieutenant through the Illinois Army National Guard's Officer Candidate School, Lenny Williams, Assistant Adjutant General-Army and Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard, was promoted to brigadier general in a ceremony at the Illinois Military Academy, Camp Lincoln, Springfield, Oct. 11.

"Today is a special day for Colonel Williams, his family, and for this organization," said Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, The Adjutant General of Illinois and Commander of the Illinois National Guard. "I know this organization is going to be better with you at the helm of the Army. You earned this promotion."

Williams enlisted in the ILARNG in 1991 as an infantry Soldier, rising to the rank of staff sergeant before commissioning as a second lieutenant in Field Artillery in 2000.

Williams was appointed Assistant Adjutant General-Army, Illinois Army National Guard, on Aug. 30. His previous assignment was as the Chief of Staff, Illinois Army National Guard from May 2020 to March 2024 where he served as the state's senior federal Army National Guard management official, and the principle executive assistant and advisor to the Adjutant General. In his current role, he serves as the advisor to the Adjutant General in all matters pertaining to supervision and management of the Illinois Department of Military Affairs and the Illinois Army National Guard, which consists of over 1,400 full-time Soldiers and employees and over 10,000 citizen-Soldiers.

Boyd thanked Williams' family, wife, Liane and daughter, Morgan, for their support throughout his career.

"Thank you for the support you've provided him over the years," Boyd said. "Without the support of the family he doesn't get to this level."

Boyd described when he met Williams.

"I met Lenny in 2015. I was a brand new brigade commander and Major General Zerbonia told me he was sending me an officer-in-charge, someone really sharp," Boyd said. "I was a part time Soldier with a full time job, so as a brigade commander, you really relied on your officer in charge."

"I'm a logistician and I know all the logisticians, so I asked who is he? Major General Zerbonia said he's an artilleryman. I said sir, you're sending someone normally shooting cannons to a logistics brigade," Boyd said. "He said trust me Rod, he's going to be good. Lenny came in, put together an awesome staff, many who are senior leaders today. That's the type of power he brings to a position."

Boyd described Williams as a Soldier who lives selfless service.

"A few years ago, Lenny was getting ready to retire. He believed in doing a job and getting out of the way for the next person," Boyd said. "I asked him to stay one more year. He still came in and worked as he had previously done. That is the definition of selfless service. Because he did that, this organization is in a better place today."

Williams said he is proud to keep serving in the Illinois Army National Guard.

"34 years ago I joined the ILARNG for money for college," he said. "My service has given me every other opportunity after that though. I owe this organization more than it could ever owe me. I am proud to keep serving."

Williams said each Soldier is responsible for credibility in their military service.

"We must protect the Illinois National Guard's reputation and brand at all costs," he said. "Our citizens, veterans, state, and nation place their confidence, faith and trust in us and we have to protect it at all costs."

The newly-promoted brigadier general encouraged Soldiers to ask what will be their legacy? What will Soldiers remember them for? Did they make a difference?

"If you're in uniform, please ask yourself that. I hope the answer is yes," he said. "Did we make a difference as a group? To those in uniform - we're here for one thing and that is to fight and win our nation's wars and we're here to defend our nation and its citizens. In this profession, winning matters. It's all that matters. If we do not win, it's a nightmare."

Williams said it doesn't matter what one does in the organization whether they are a Soldier or civilian employee.

"It doesn't matter what you do in this organization, whether you're an employee or Soldier," Williams said. "Your role in its own way is to help ensure we're prepared to do what I'm talking about. You are all part of a team and critical to its success."

Williams said a test of true leadership is to turn around to see if anyone is following.

"They'll do what you say because of your rank, but are they doing what you say because they want to do it?" Williams asked. "If they are doing what you ask because they want to, that's leadership."

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