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 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).