General Glisson was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Quartermaster Corps, in 1966 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at North Georgia College, where he also earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology. He received his Master’s Degree in Education from Pepperdine University in California. His military educational background includes the Quartermaster Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College. 

Selected as a Regular Army Officer in 1967, and detailed to the Infantry for 18 months, his early years included assignment as a Platoon Leader for the 549^th Quartermaster Company (Air Delivery), and Aide-de-Camp for the Commanding General, U.S. Army, Japan; Advisor in the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam; and S4 (Logistics) and Commander, Headquarters Company, 2^nd Battalion, 5^th Infantry; Commander, Charlie Company, 425^th Support Battalion; Commander, 25^th Supply and Transport Battalion; Executive Officer/S3, 25^th Supply and Transport Battalion; and Assistant Chief of Staff, G4 (Supply), 25^th Infantry Division, Hawaii.

From 1974 to 1977, General Glisson was the Officer-in-Charge of the Cadet Mess, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. From 1978 to 1982, he served as the S3, Division Support Command; Executive Officer, 701^st Maintenance Battalion; and Commander, Materiel Management Center, 1^st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. His next assignment was Commander, 87^th Maintenance Battalion, 7^th Support Group, United States Army, Europe. He served as Chief, Quartermaster Branch, United States Army Military Personnel Command in Alexandria, Virginia, from 1985 to 1987.

He was assigned to the Pentagon from 1987 to 1989 where he served first as Chief, Readiness Team, and then Chief, Troop Support Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Washington, District of Columbia. In 1989 he became Commander, Division Support Command, 4^th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. He returned to the Pentagon in 1991, serving as the Executive Officer and Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics; and then as Deputy Director, Directorate for Plans and Operations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics. In 1993, MG Glisson became the Commander, Defense Personnel Support Center, Defense Logistics Agency. In 1994, he was assigned as Commander, U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command, Natick, Massachusetts. In 1996, he became the 44^th Quartermaster General and Commandant of the United States Army Quartermaster Center and School in Fort Lee, Virginia. On July 25, 1997, he became the 13^th Director of the Defense Logistics Agency and was promoted to Lieutenant General.

His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star with “V” Device, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Parachute Rigger Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

General Glisson was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Quartermaster Regiment in 1992.