Chief Wilson began her Army career as a Military Intelligence (MI) German linguist Voice Intercept Operator. During more than 37 years of active and reserve service, she has served at all echelons from tactical to strategic, with duty in Germany, Iraq and the United States. In August 1990, she was mobilized to support OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/ OPERATION DESERT STORM and served as the Signals Intelligence collection manager for XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, NC. In December 2002, she mobilized in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM as a senior Counter Terrorism Analyst. She deployed twice to Iraq with a highly specialized Joint Special Operations Task Force.
Chief Warrant Officer Five (CW5) Phyllis J. Wilson served as the 5th Command Chief Warrant Officer (CCWO) for the United States Army Reserve. She was a key member of the Executive Team managing an organization with an annual operating budget of more than $8 Billion. She completed a Senior Fellowship with the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Strategic Studies Group focused on Global issues 2050 and beyond.
Chief Wilson holds a master’s degree in Management from Webster University, two Bachelor of Science degrees: nursing (registered nurse) and liberal arts (sociology/German) and three Associate of Science degrees. She also holds a certificate in Non-Profit Management from Duke University. She is pursuing a second master’s degree in Public Administration with a Non-Profit Organizations focus. She attended the Defense Language Institute for German and Spanish.
Chief Wilson’s military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary & Service Medals, and the Army Parachutist Badge. She was inducted into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame in 2017.
Her non-profit experience includes being the President of the Women in Military Service for America (WIMSA) Memorial Foundation – the only major national memorial honoring all women who have defended America throughout history from the Revolutionary War to today. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Allied Forces Foundation; the Army Women’s Foundation; and the Association of the United States Army’s (AUSA) Board of Directors. She is also a Senior Fellow at AUSA.
In March 2020, Phyllis was named a Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace Power Player of the Week. View the Video Here.
She has eight children: Joseph, Jeremy, Rebekah, Matthias, Rachel, Jared, Maria and Jesse. Four sons: Joseph, Jeremy, Matthias, and Jared are in the military and are all combat veterans. She has twelve grandchildren and counting!