commissioner william a roberts born 26 february 1946 is currently the chief of the staff of the salvation army and has been appointed by general andre cox since 5 january 2015 roberts has been acting as the general of the salvation army while general cox is recovering from surgery roberts is fulfilling all overseas engagements and other duties of the general until cox returns to health commissioned as an officer in the salvation army in 1971 after completing training as a member of the victorious session of cadets he served in three corps appointments followed by a number of divisional appointments he as financial secretary divisional secretary general secretary and as leader of two divisions western michigan northern indiana and then metropolitanthe son of salvation army officers roberts holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from wayne state university and a master of arts degree in religious studies from the university of detroit he has also studied at the university of minnesota nazarene theological seminary and north park seminary he was selected to attend the international college for officers in london in 1982he has served on the teaching staff of the centrals officer continuing education program as well as the centrals asbury theological seminary preaching seminarcommissioners william and nancy roberts are the parents of four children william rebecca barbara and bramwell who along with their spouses have provided them with twelve grandchildrenfrom 2001 to 2005 they led the south america east territory comprising argentina uruguay and paraguay commissioner william roberts was next appointed to ihq in london in 2005 as international secretary for business administration with commissioner nancy roberts appointed as secretary for ihq staff development and ihq chaplain on march 1 2008 commissioner william roberts took up his appointment as territorial commander of the kenya west territory on the very day of the creation of that territory with commissioner nancy roberts appointed as territorial president of womens ministries for kenya west