Brigadier General William E. Rapp is the 72nd Commandant of Cadets for the United States Corps of Cadets, U.S. Military Academy, West Point.
Rapp is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Virginia and his early assignments included duties as a platoon leader, executive officer, assistant S3, corps operations officer in Germany and at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He also commanded an airborne engineer company during Operation Desert Storm.
In June 2005 he assumed command of the 555th Combat Engineer Group and deployed in support of the 101st Airborne Division for Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2007, he completed his command and returned to Iraq as the director of the commander's Initiatives Group serving under General Petraeus in Multi-National Forces-Iraq.
Rapp's awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, and the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters. He has earned the Combat Action Badge, Master Parachutist wings, Air Assault wings, Ranger Tab, and the Engineer Regiment's Silver DeFleury Medal.