Major General Bill Raines
The Chattanooga Bar Association on Wednesday presented their prestigious Liberty Bell Award to Major General Bill Raines for his community service.
The retired general helped spearhead the campaign to build the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center. The retired Army general has been very active in veterans affairs in the Chattanooga area including the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council. He is also an active member of the Military Officers Association, the John Sevier Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution and numerous other veterans organization.
Major General Raines retired as a Major General from the Army Reserves on April 15, 2000 after 32 years of services. His last assignment was to the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Va. as the vice-director of Strategy, Requirements and Integration. His prior assignment was as deputy commander, 125th U.S. Army Reserve Command in Nashville.
General Raines was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1968 at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, where he also received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering.
With 32 years of military service, he served in many important positions on active duty and in the Army Reserve. During the period June 1968 to June 1973, General Raines served in numerous active duty assignments in Okinawa (Hawk), Vietnam (Battery Commander on the Demilitarized Zone) and Fort Bliss, Texas. After leaving active duty, General Raines held numerous assignments within the 3397th U.S. Army Reserve Garrison in Chattanooga and the 125th ARCOM Headquarters in Nashville.
General Raines returned to active duty during Operations Desert Shield/Storm where he served as the commander of the 3397th USAR Garrison from Chattanooga (the unit was presented the Army Superior Unit Award) at Fort Campbell, Ky. during the period August 1990 to September 1991.
General Raines is a graduate of the Airborne School, Air Defense Artillery School, Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.