New stars

Col. Roger F. Mathews (center) is pinned with the stars of a brigadier general by his wife Connie (right) and his father retired Air Force Col. Bruce Mathews (left) during April 2 ceremonies held at the Peterson auditorium. Mathews is the deputy commanding general for Operations at the U. S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U. S. Army Forces Strategic Command. (U.S. Army photo by Erica M. Belcher)

Mathews promoted to brigadier general

Published April 3, 2007
By Ed White
U. S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Col. Roger F. Mathews was promoted to brigadier general April 2 at the base auditorium.

Surrounded by his extended family, invited friends, members of the U. S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U. S. Army Forces Strategic Command and comrades who served with him through the ranks, he was pinned with the stars of a brigadier general by his wife and his father.

Lt. Gen. Kevin T. Campbell, the SMDC/ARSTRAT commander, officiated at the ceremony.

"Roger has had all the right assignments. He has served in Armored and Infantry divisions and Joint assignments. He has commanded at all levels," General Campbell said, adding that "Each year the Army reviews about 1,800 files of colonels for promotion to brigadier general. On average we select about 25 or 30 to be general officers. The math of that is about a 1.7 percent selection rate. That equates to Olympic standards."

General Mathews, whose father was a career Air Force officer, credited his success to strong family values inherited from his grandparents and the support of his wife Connie and their two daughters. He also credited support from Soldiers, NCOs and fellow officers along the way.

General Mathews, an Air Defense Artillery officer, was commissioned in 1978. He served in a number of Air Defense Artillery assignments with the 8th Infantry, at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., and with the 1st Infantry Division. He was also a public affairs officer at Fort McPherson, Ga.

His military education includes the Air Defense Artillery basic and advanced courses, U. S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.
In his current assignment as the deputy commanding general for Operations of SMDC/ARSTRAT, Mathews oversees the operations of two unique, globe spanning brigades that provide 24/7/365 space support to the warfighter and homeland defense against missile attacks.