The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas Lottery Veteran Recognition: Gwen Bingham
11.24.2021 | Football
The retired U.S. Army three-star general will be honored when Texas Football hosts Kansas State.
The military construct provided shape to Gwen Bingham's early life and pursuits. Her father served more than 20 years in the United States Army, and Bingham spent most of her childhood and adolescence in Texas, where he was stationed in Killeen and San Antonio, before moving to Alabama for high school and college.
Bingham received an ROTC scholarship to the University of Alabama, and she had a mind to serve out the four years of her service obligation and "not a day longer." But that built-in military frame opened up into a pathway that proved to be more of a progressive calling than determined design.
"Something happened," Bingham said. "I fell in love with this vocation."
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army's Quartermaster Corps, Bingham retired after 38 years of service as a three-star general. She was the first Black female to hold numerous positions as a general officer, including: the Army's 51st Quartermaster General and Commandant of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School; Commanding General, White Sands Missile Range; and Commanding General, Tank-automotive and Armaments Life Cycle Management Command.
She is a trailblazer, a leader who was fueled by new challenges and invigorated by the opportunities to stretch and grow skills outside of her comfort zone.
"I am the type of leader who loves to learn. When you're finding your passion, you never work a day in your life," said Bingham, who holds a bachelor's and two master's degrees. "I was minding my passion and finding ways to make a positive difference. That made me want to continue (in military service)."
As Bingham's appointments evolved, she had to also evolve her mindset from tactical to strategic objectives, but her connection to individual needs and commitment to group harmony and success allowed her to stay focused on decision-making from a ground-up perspective.
"I was always wanting to take an organization as I found it, and leave it in a better place," she said. "For me, team means 'together, everyone achieves more,' so take advantage of everyone's strengths and build upon them in the organization.
"I am a people person. I am uplifted by engagement, by learning about people and teaming with them."
Bingham served deployments to Kuwait and Afghanistan, and her final assignment was as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, The Pentagon.
Bingham was named a 2021 "CNN Champion for Change," and she is also the recipient of the 2019 White House Correspondents "Be Fearless" Award. She also previously received the Joint Women's Leadership in Excellence Meritorious Service Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Women in Defense Service to the Flag Award.
She and her husband, Dr. Patrick J. Bingham, who received his doctoral degree from UT Austin, have two adult children, and they reside in Leander, Texas.
Thanks to the Texas Lottery, great things are happening all across Texas. Every year, more than $1 billion of lottery revenue goes to good causes like public education and veterans' assistance programs.
Beginning with the first veterans' dedicated scratch ticket game in 2009, the Texas Lottery has now contributed over $169 million to the Fund for Veterans' Assistance.
The Texas Lottery is celebrating 30 years of winning. Since 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $33 billion in revenue for the state of Texas. Through strict adherence to their vision, mission and core values, the Texas Lottery is dedicated to ensuring that this support continues.
