Major General Arnold Fields currently serves as the Deputy Commanding General, III Marine Expeditionary Force/Marine Corps Base, Hawaii.

Major General Fields is a native of Early Branch, S.C., and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in November 1969. Completing The Basic School course 21 weeks later, he was assigned to the 2d Marine Division where he held positions as infantry platoon commander and company executive officer.

In February 1971, Major General Fields was assigned to the 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan, where he served as an 81mm mortar platoon commander and company executive officer with 2d Battalion, 4th Marines.

He returned to the United States in February 1972 and was assigned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C. His service there included assignments as recruit series commander and Assistant Director of the Drill Instructor School.

During July 1974, Major General Fields was transferred to the Marine Corps Development and Education Command (MCDEC) at Quantico, Va., to serve three years as an instructor in the Education Center. He also completed a year of study at the Amphibious Warfare School at Quantico before being transferred to the 3d Marine Division during June 1978. He was an infantry company commander during this one year tour with 3d Division.

Major General Fields was assigned to the 6th Marine Corps District in June 1979 and served for three years as Officer in Charge of the District Contact Team. Following one year at intermediate level school, Major General Fields returned to the 6th District where for three years he served as the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Recruiting Station, Orlando, Fla.

Following this tour, Major General Fields was transferred to North Africa and served as the Commanding Officer, Company B (Middle East), Marine Security Guard Battalion. He and his Marines provided security to all American Embassies and Consulates throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. Completing this assignment in July 1988, Major General Fields was transferred to the Army War College where he remained until his assignment to the 2d Marine Division in June 1989. Initially assigned as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Readiness, he was later selected to command 3d Battalion, 6th Marines, 2d Marine Division. During this tour, he and his battalion participated in combat operations against Iraqi forces in Kuwait during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In October 1991, he was assigned duty as the commanding officer of the Marine Corps Support Activity, Kansas City, Mo. Major General Fields was later selected to command Headquarters Battalion, Camp Fuji, Japan where he remained until ordered to his next assignment as the Chief, Evaluation and Analysis Division, Operational Plans and Interoperability Directorate, J-7, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. His last assignment was as the Commander, Forward Headquarters Element/Inspector General, U.S. Central Command, MacDill, Air Force Base, Fla.

Major General Fields holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and a Master of Arts degree in Management. He is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the Army War College.

He was selected for promotion to Major General on December 22, 1998.