The First Black Major General of the Virginia Army National Guard Holds Two Degrees in Electrical Engineering

Frank E. Batts Sr. is the first African American to reach the rank of major general in the Virginia Army National Guard. General Batts is commander of the 29th Infantry Division, based at Fort Belvoir. He served in Afghanistan from May 2004 to April 2005.

General Batts is a graduate of the ROTC program at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. There, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering. Batts is also a graduate of the Army War College.

While not serving in the Guard, Batts is an electronics engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center.