Major General Phillips, a native of York, Pennsylvania, was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps following graduation from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1990. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Spending the first 10‐1/2 years on active duty, he served as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer, in the 51st Signal Battalion (Airborne); Platoon Leader, F/51st Infantry Regiment (Long Range Surveillance); and S‐6, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division during his first tour at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He then served as S‐6 and HHC Commander, 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division in Hanau, Germany and Executive Officer, Georgia Institute of Technology Reserve Officer Training Corps in Atlanta.
In 2001, he entered the Army Reserve and performed his first reserve duty just three weeks before 9/11. His key staff assignments include: G‐3 Operations, 108th Training Command; G‐3 ARFORGEN, United States Forces Command; G‐6, United States Army Central; and G‐6, United States Army Europe.
He has deployed in support of OPERATIONs JOINT FORGE as S‐6, 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Div (1997‐
1998); IRAQI FREEDOM as S‐6, 172nd Corps Support Group (2004) and Commander, 324th Signal Battalion (2006‐2007); ENDURING FREEDOM as S‐3, 359th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade and Director, Joint
NETOPS Control Center‐Afghanistan (2010‐2011); FREEDOMS SENTINEL as Deputy Commander, 335th Signal Command (Theater) (Provisional), (2015‐2016); and INHERENT RESOLVE & SPARTAN SHIELD as the Commanding General, 335th Signal Command (Theater)(Provisional), (2017‐2018). His additional command time includes Commander, 2nd Brigade, 100th Division (Sacramento, California) and Rear‐Detachment Commander, 451st Expeditionary Sustainment Command (Wichita, Kansas).
Major General Phillips’ military schooling includes the Signal Officer Basic Course, U.S. Marine Corps’ Command and Control Systems Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, and Advanced Joint Professional Military Education.
He has been decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (4th award) and numerous other individual, service and campaign medals. He has earned the Combat Action Badge, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Royal Australian Parachutist Badge.
He resides in Laurinburg, North Carolina and has been married to his wife Sherrie, a doctor of physical therapy, for 26 years. They have two sons, Stone (23) an Electrical Engineer with Honeywell Aerospace and Ryan (19) a sophomore Computer and Electrical Engineering major at North Carolina State University; both are Eagle Scouts.