Top performer receives top SOF student award

Maj. William J. Doyle received the LTC Ronald C. Ward Distinguished Special Operations Forces (SOF) Student Award for the Command and General Staff Officer Course (CGSOC) Class of 2018 in a ceremony May 29 at the Lewis and Clark Center.

The award is presented to the top resident SOF student in each CGSOC class for achievement and academic excellence. The award honors military scholarship, recognizes excellence in scholarship and overall contributions to the SOF body of knowledge. The award is named after CGSC faculty member and Special Forces officer Lt. Col. Ronald C. Ward, who had a distinguished 31-year career in the U.S. Army in Infantry and Special Forces units. Ward was killed in a lightweight sport aircraft accident Oct. 8, 2010, during his assignment to the SOF cell of the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth.

Attendees applaud as Maj. William J. Doyle receives the Roman Gladius sword, signifying his selection as the LTC Ronald C. Ward Distinguished Special Operations Forces Student Award for the Command and General Staff Officer Course Class of 2018 in a ceremony May 29 in the Arnold Conference Room of the Lewis and Clark Center. Presenting is Ms. Beth Ward, center, wife of the award’s namesake, and Lt. Col. Christopher Schilling, an instructor in the CGSS Special Operations Forces Cell. (photos by Dan Neal/ArmyU Public Affairs)

The award in Ward’s honor was created in 2014 and dedicated to his memory by his family as a means to recognize SOF students long into the future. On behalf of his family, Ms. Beth Ward, Lt. Col. Ward’s wife at the time of his death, endowed the award through the CGSC Foundation. The award is a replica of a Roman Gladius sword with the recipient’s name engraved. In addition, a plaque describing the award with a list of all past recipients is in the SOF directorate offices on the third floor of the Lewis and Clark Center.

Attending the ceremony was a special guest, Col. (Ret.) Roger Donlon, the first SOF Soldier to ever receive the Medal of Honor and the first recipient of the MoH in the Vietnam War. Donlon is also a member of the Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame (inducted in 1995), a CGSC graduate and former CGSC instructor, and also a founding trustee of the CGSC Foundation.

According to leadership of the SOF directorate at Fort Leavenworth, Doyle was selected because of his accomplishments in academic as well as personal endeavors. During the course he maintained a 4.0 grade point average, attained the first perfect score in a “course of action” sketch/statement exercise, and scored more than 300 points on the Army Physical Fitness Test extended scale. During CGSOC he was also simultaneously pursuing a master’s degree in Global International Studies from the University of Kansas and maintained a perfect 4.0 grade average in that program. Additionally, he was a sponsor for one of the international officers in the class from Djibouti. If all those accomplishments weren’t enough, in his personal time he also completed five marathons and one ultra-marathon (66 kilometers) during the class year, provided mentorship to 15 junior officers and enlisted SOF Soldiers, and maintained his language proficiency rating in Modern Standard Arabic. Doyle’s CGSC small group advisor remarked that he was the top officer he had seen in his 32 years of uniformed and civilian service.

Maj. William J. Doyle delivers remarks after receiving the LTC Ronald C. Ward Distinguished Special Operations Forces Student Award for the Command and General Staff Officer Course Class of 2018 on May 29. Col. (Ret.) Roger Donlon (in green jacket in top right of the photo) was a special guest for the ceremony.

Doyle graduates with his CGSOC class on June 15. His initial assignment was to the 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Fort Richardson, Alaska, where he served as a rifle platoon leader, battalion logistics officer (S4), and executive officer in the airborne infantry. In 2009 he deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom IX at Forward Operating Base Sharana in West Paktika Province, Afghanistan. Following this assignment, he attended the Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned to 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Carson, Colorado in 2013. Major Doyle served as an assistant plans officer, detachment commander, and battalion support company commander in 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (A) from 2013 to 2017. During that time he deployed in support of Operations Octave Shield and Enduring Freedom.

Doyle’s awards and decorations include the Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Special Forces Qualification Tab, Ranger Tab, and Senior Parachutist Badge.

Maj. Doyle and his wife have one daughter. Following graduation, the family will return to Fort Carson where Maj. Doyle will assume command of Co. A, 2nd Battalion, 10th SFG(A).

Congratulations from the trustees and staff of the CGSC Foundation to Maj. Doyle – he is truly a top performer worthy of this top SOF student award.