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William Wenger

California Ambassador

Name:  William V. Wenger
Hometown: El Segundo, CA

Civilian Education:  B.A., History and Anthropology, UC Santa Barbara; M.A. CSU Long Beach, Theater Arts; M.B.A, Pepperdine University; M.A. Defense Management, American Military University; MA, U.S. History, American Military University (in thesis preparation).

Organizations/Clubs/Philanthropies:  Association of U.S. Army; U.S. Army Ranger Assoc.; Ranger Regiment Assoc.; CA ESGR; Royal Order of St. Constantine the Great and St. Helen; Royal Order of St. Carlos; Order of Knights of the Temple, Republic of Georgia; VFW; Am. Legion, XVIII ABN Corps Assoc., 82nd ABN Assoc.; National Infantry Assoc.; Military Order of Foreign Wars of U.S.; National Eagle Scout Association; National Rifle Association; Kiwanis International; Rotary International; ROA; MOAA; U.S. Army War College Alumni Assoc.; USMC Assoc.; California Hethushka.

Civilian Honors: Outstanding Alumnus, U.S. Army War College; Distinguished Graduate Am. Military University; Eagle Scout, Order of St. Maurice, Primicerius; Northridge Earthquake Service, LAPD; Paul Harris Fellow, Kiwanis International; James West Fellow, BSA.

Military Retirement Rank and Date, Service and Key Positions: COL, 8 MAR 2012; Commander Calif. Army National Guard.

Name of Spouse and Children: Robin; John Paul; Patrick; Shelby Benjamin.

Army Reserve Ambassador William Wenger served more than 42 years in the U.S. Army, USAR, and CAANG as an Infantry, Airborne Ranger.  He commanded the NG battalion-level task forces in response to the LA Riots, the Reginald Denny Civil Rights Trial and the Northridge Earthquake.  Following retirement in 2000, he volunteered for four combat tours, two in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.  He served as a senior advisor to the Iraqi and Afghan police and armies.  He served as Branch Chief of Counter Improvised Explosive Devices in Regional Command – South, ISAF, and as Division Chief of C-IED Training for NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan.  In civilian life, he is a real estate executive and college instructor.  He holds three masters degrees and the equivalency of two others.  He graduated from the U.S. Army War College where he then taught for three years. He served as a Special Reserve Police Officer for the LAPD. He was appointed to serve on several civic commissions and stood for office in El Segundo, CA.  He recently departed the Republic of Georgia where he was, for three years, a Senior Defense Advisor and an instructor at the Georgian Armed Forces Command and General Staff College. He is currently the Area Chief for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve for five counties of the Greater Los Angeles Area, a Vice President of the Assoc. of the U.S. Army for the Greater Los Angeles Chapter.