SCHOLARSHIP

The General Montgomery (Monty) C. Meigs Scholarship is awarded to an individual who demonstrates the outstanding characteristics of Monty Meigs.  This individual excels both in the classroom and on the field and strives to help others through selfless service.

To apply for the General Montgomery (Monty) C. Meigs Scholarship, eligible recipients must be a high school or college student. You’ll need to provide a copy of grades or letter from Dean’s list, letter of recommendation from coach or teacher and a short essay on your “why.”

GENERAL MONTGOMERY MEIGS

General Montgomery Meigs, or Monty to his friends, was an extraordinary leader who was respected and admired. A graduate of West Point class of 1967, Monty excelled both in the classroom and on the rugby field.

“Monty has shown the dedication and the ability to succeed in whatever he does, and we look for great things from him,” said one of his classmates. Monty proved this prediction so accurate. He went on to earn his masters and PhD from the University of Wisconsin before returning to West Point to teach.

Monty’s career encompassed many aspects. He served with distinction as a junior officer in Vietnam, later commanded the 1st Squadron, 1st Armored Cavalry Regiment in the mid -1980s, attended the National War College as an Army Fellow and subsequently worked as a strategic planner on the Joint Staff for three years gaining the respect and admiration of the senior officers he worked for.

After this assignment in 1990, Monty, Mary Ann, and Matthew (William already moved to college) returned to Germany and assumed Command of the Second Brigade of the First Armored Division commanding it through the First Gulf War.  He later commanded the First Armored Division, later reflagged under his command to the First Infantry Division, where he led it into Bosnia. During this time, he was also in charge of NATO’s Multi- National Division (North). He was promoted to four stars upon assignment as Commanding General of US Army Europe until his retirement in 2002. Of Monty’s 35 years of service in the Army, 18 years were spent in Europe.

After his retirement Monty became a professor at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and served as a military consultant to the Pentagon specifically in charge of DOD’s Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization to develop a strategy and program to defeat the enemy’s use of IED’s in Iraq and Afghanistan.  His worked significantly reduced the number of US casualties from IEDs. During this time, he also served as a visiting professor at Georgetown University. From 2010 to 2013 Monty was appointed the CEO of Business Executives for National Security (BENS). Afterward his family moved to Austin, Texas where he became a professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas where he continued to serve until, he officially retired.

Monty was named after his great-great-great uncle Quartermaster General of the Union Army during the Civil War and the founder/creator of Arlington National Cemetery – Montgomery C. Meigs. His father was LTC Montgomery C. Meigs, a tank commander, who was killed in Europe in December 1944, one month before Monty was born. General Montgomery (Monty) C. Meigs died on July 6, 2021, surrounded by his family.