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University of North Georgia (¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ) alumnus Brig. Gen. Paul Howard is the school's latest graduate to earn flag officer status after he became a general on Jan. 5. Howard serves as the 42nd chief of the Signal Corps and U.S. Army Signal School commandant.   

As one of the nation's six senior military colleges, ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ commissions about 100 second lieutenants each year into the Army, Georgia Army National Guard and Army Reserve. More than 60 alumni have gone on to become flag officers, most of them in the Army. 

Howard, a 1993 ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ graduate, has held a variety of command and staff positions around the world. He has deployed to Iraq with the 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion and to Afghanistan as part of U.S. Army Central. He is now the fourth 1993 graduate of ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ to become a general, joining Maj. Gen. Dwayne Wilson, retired Brig. Gen. Rob Parker and Brig. Gen. Kevin Lambert.  

"There used to be a saying there: 'Lead, follow or get out of the way,'" Howard said. "North Georgia builds leaders. I was not always the top performer, fastest runner, nor did I have the best GPA.  North Georgia gave me opportunities to practice being a disciplined leader and follower."  

Born and raised in the small southwestern town of Blakely, Georgia, Howard largely credits his success to his family and humble upbringing.   

Howard emphasized that he would never have gotten to where he is today without others' support and belief in him. Naming some of the people who have impacted his life, many of them lifelong mentors, Howard said, "There's plenty of you out there that have played a role informally or formally, and you've been cheering me on all along the way. People pulled me, they pushed me … and so here I am."  

Howard insists it was a "family decision" to continue to serve, reiterating that he could not have gotten this far without the love and support of his wife and children. Despite multiple moves, deployments and inevitable hardships that can come with serving, Howard believes his family is "more resilient, successful and confident" largely due to their diverse experiences through the military.  

"I always tell people that we didn't survive the Army as a family; we thrived," Howard said. "I really do believe that."  

Howard enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard in 1989, receiving a four-year scholarship to ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ. Upon earning a bachelor's degree, Howard commissioned into the Signal Corps.   

He would later graduate from the Air Command and Staff College with a master's degree from the Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, while simultaneously serving in the Army.   

"North Georgia taught me to lead with confidence and compassion," Howard said.