Brigadier General Roscoe “Conklin” Cartwright was commissioned as a Field Artillery Officer upon graduation from Field Artillery Officer Candidate School Class 37-42 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, 5 November 1942. This was predated by a year of drafted, enlisted service in Field Artillery. He reported to his first duty assignment at 599th Field Artillery Battalion, 92nd Infantry Division “Buffalo Soldiers.”

His subsequent duty assignments include: Comptroller of the United States Army Garrison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Management Analyst, Chief Management Planning Division; Chief, Research and Development Division; Office of the Director of Management; Comptroller of the Army, Washington, D.C.; Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.; Commanding Officer, 108th Artillery Group, United States Army Pacific-Vietnam; Deputy Commanding Officer, United States Army Support Command, Cam Ranh Bay, United States Army, Pacific-Vietnam; Chief, Budget and Five Year Defense Program, Coordination Division, Manpower and Forces Directorate; Officer of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development, United States Army, Washington D.C.; Special Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development, United States Army, Washington, D.C.; Assistant Division Commander, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Army, Europe; Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller, United States Army, Europe and Seventh Army.

His military education and training consists of: Field Artillery Officer Candidate School, Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

His military awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit (w/OLC), Bronze Star (w/2 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (w/2 OLC), and the Army Commendation Medal (w/2 OLC).