Alumni Awards — Maj. Gen. William M. Matz Jr. ’61

Meritorious Service Awards

Maj. Gen. William M. Matz Jr. '61
U.S. Army (Retired)
President and CEO, National Association for Uniformed Services

William Matz played lacrosse and ran track while he was in ROTC and completing his major in political science at Gettysburg. He later earned his master's in international relations at the University of San Diego and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and the academic program for senior executives at Harvard University. He completed the Army's Airborne and Ranger Courses and is a Master Parachutist.

His Army career spans 33 years, during which he served in six different divisions and in the Army's training and Doctrine Command as either a commander or staff officer. He served on the Army Staff and was executive secretary under two Secretaries of Defense: Casper Weinberger and Frank Carlucci. Awards and decorations include the nation's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantryman Badge.

Matz retired in 1995 to work for defense through the private sector. In 2005 he was tapped for the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission and today he leads the National Association for Uniformed Services as President and CEO.

An extraordinarily dedicated volunteer for Gettysburg College, Matz has served on the Board of Fellows, the Commission on the Future, several reunion committees, and regional planning and leadership groups. In 1997 the College recognized him with the Distinguished Alumni Award. He and his wife Linda live in Virginia and they have a son, William, and two daughters, Heather and Rebecca.