William B. Raines Jr. is the sole owner and chief executive officer of The Raines Group, Inc., a commercial real estate management, leasing, and brokerage company, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
William B. Raines, Jr., retired as a Major General from the Army Reserves on 15 April 2000, after 32 years of service. His last assignment was to the Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) in Norfolk, Virginia, as the Vice-Director of Strategy, Requirements and Integration (J8V).
General Raines was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1968 by the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, where he also received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering.
During 32 years of military service, he served in many important positions on both Active Duty and the Army Reserve. From 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, TN, and the 125th ARCOM Headquarters in Nashville, TN.
General Raines returned to active duty during Operations Desert Shield/Storm, where he served at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, as the Commander of the 3397th Deployment Command (the unit was presented the Army Superior Unit Award) from August 1990 to September 1991.
General Raines is a graduate of the Airborne School and the Army War College.
Awards presented to General Raines include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster.
General Raines is currently Chairman Emeritus of the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
General Raines resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with his wife, Jerrie, DDS; Children – Dr. Jeannie, Nashville, TN; John, Phd, S&P, Barcelona, Spain; Philip, Pastor, Deep River Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Will, Senior Program Director, FAST, Nashville, Tennessee.