A retired Worcester police officer with more than three decades of local law enforcement experience has been named commander of the Army National Guard’s historic 42nd Infantry Division, taking charge of roughly 15,000 soldiers spread across the northeastern United States.
Brig. Gen. Richard P. Cipro formally assumed command during an Oct. 17 ceremony held at the New York National Guard headquarters in Latham, New York. He succeeds Maj. Gen. Jack James, who had led the division since 2024.
Cipro’s appointment marks a high point in a dual career dedicated to public safety and military service. A veteran of the Iraq War who first enlisted in 1991, Cipro served 32 years with the Worcester Police Department before retiring at the rank of sergeant.
“To the Soldiers of the 42nd Infantry Division, it is the honor of my career to lead you,” Cipro said during the ceremony. “We will uphold this division’s proud legacy and meet the challenges ahead with confidence and purpose.”
A Deeply Rooted Military and Academic Legacy
Cipro began his military journey in 1991 with the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 972nd Military Police Company, eventually earning his officer commission in 1999. Over the next two decades, he moved through the ranks from platoon leader to brigade commander, eventually serving as land component commander and assistant adjutant general for the Massachusetts National Guard.
His overseas operational experience includes a deployment to Pakistan following the Sept. 11 attacks and a tour in Taji, Iraq, from 2009 to 2010. Alongside his new role leading the 42nd Infantry Division, Cipro also serves as deputy commanding general for the National Guard with the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force-Africa in Vicenza, Italy.
Cipro holds strong local ties to Central Massachusetts, having earned a bachelor’s degree from Worcester State University and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Anna Maria College. He also completed strategic studies at the Naval War College and executive training at the Harvard Kennedy School. His military honors include the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal.
Leading the ‘Rainbow Division’
Headquartered in Troy, New York, the 42nd Infantry Division—famously nicknamed the “Rainbow Division” by Gen. Douglas MacArthur during World War I—spans multiple state formations across the Northeast. Its regional footprint includes Massachusetts units such as the 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, a unit with history dating back to 1636.
The division holds a distinguished place in American military history, having aided in the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp during World War II and responding to the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City. In 2004, it became the first National Guard division deployed to Iraq, with subsequent overseas headquarters deployments in 2020 and 2025 managing operations across the Middle East.
Major General Ray Shields, New York’s adjutant general, welcomed Cipro to his new command during the ceremony, expressing full confidence in his ability to guide the 15,000-strong formation into its next chapter.
Cipro resides in Worcester with his wife, Colleen. The couple has four children.
