2021 Hall of Fame Inductee
North Georgia College (1969)
Brig. Gen. (R) David L. Grange was commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry in 1969 upon graduation from North Georgia College, Dahlonega, Georgia. Following graduation, Grange attended the Infantry Officer’s Basic Course, Airborne School and Ranger School.
His initial assignment was with the 2nd-505th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division, as a reconnaissance platoon leader. He deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in November 1970 and saw significant combat action as a second lieutenant assigned to the 101st Airborne's Lima Company, 75th Rangers in the I Corps Province of Vietnam in 1971, where he was awarded his first Silver Star while attached to the 2nd/17th Cavalry. As a first lieutenant in 1972, Grange was an adviser to the Vietnamese Airborne Division where he distinguished himself in combat and was awarded the Second Oak Leaf Cluster to the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in action. He returned to Fort Bragg in 1972 and joined 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and served as a Scuba and HALO detachment executive officer and commander.
Upon completion of Flight School in 1974, Grange was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and served as a Flight Platoon Commander in the 158th Aviation Battalion. He took command of C Company, 2nd-503rd Infantry, followed by an assignment as the Division G-3 Current Operations Officer. Following the Infantry Officer Advance Course, he commanded C Company, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, which supported Operation Eagle Claw in 1980.
Following completion of the British Army’s Special Air Service Course in 1981, Grange attended the U.S. Marine Corps Command and General Staff College. In 1982, he was assigned to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta (SFOD-D), completed the Selection Course, and later served as the B Squadron commander during Operation Urgent Fury the Invasion of Grenada and later the 1st SFOD-D Operations Officer.
Grange volunteered for service in Korea in 1987 and commanded the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division. He served as a special operations officer in Special Operations Command in Washington, D.C., then as deputy commander of the 1st SFOD-D and he commanded a Task Force during Operation Desert Storm.
From 1991 to 1993, he commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment. He then served as deputy commanding officer of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and after his selection as a general officer, he served as both Aide-de-Camp for Support and Maneuver in the 3rd Infantry Division at Warner Barracks in Bamberg, Germany. In 1997, Grange returned to Germany and took command of the 1st Infantry Division and Task Force Eagle in Bosnia, where he was responsible for U.S. forces and operations in Macedonia and Kosovo during the Yugoslav civil wars. In 1999, Grange relinquished command of the 1st Infantry Division and retired from active duty.
In December 1999, Grange published an analysis of the Army's metrics of measuring unit readiness in the Armed Forces Journal. He later served as the executive vice president and chief operating officer of the McCormick Foundation in Chicago. In September 2005, Grange became the foundation's President and Chief Executive Officer. In May 2009, Grange became Chief Executive Officer of PPD LLC, a Contract Research Organization based in North Carolina. Grange retired as CEO of PPD in May 2011.
Grange is the president of Osprey Global Solutions, LLC. He has also worked as a national security consultant for CNN, CBS and WGN. Osprey Global Solutions is a Service-Disabled Veterans Organization, which provides consulting, construction, medical and security services. Headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, Osprey provides services to government, for-profit and non-profit sectors.
Grange’s military schools include the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced
Courses, Combined Arms Service Staff School, United States Marine Corps Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from North Georgia College and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Western Kentucky University.
His awards and decorations include Combat Infantryman Badge, United States Army Aviator Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Silver Star with 2 bronze Oak leaf clusters, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster, Purple Heart with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with 2 bronze Oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with Award numeral, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster, Valorous Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service Star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 3 bronze Campaign stars, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 bronze Campaign stars, Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with silver and bronze Service stars, Vietnam Staff Service Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm and Frame, Vietnam Campaign Medal with "60-" clasp, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Scuba Diver Badge, Air Assault Badge, Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab, and Ranger Tab.
About the Army ROTC Hall of Fame
The ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 2016 as part of the ROTC Centennial celebration. The first class (2016) inducted 326 former ROTC Cadets who had distinguished themselves in their military or civilian career.
The Hall of Fame honors graduates of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. It provides a prestigious and tangible means of recognizing and honoring Army ROTC Alumni who have made lasting, significant contributions to the Nation, the Army and the history and traditions of the Army ROTC Program.
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