General Officer Biography

MAJOR GENERAL JAMES R. JOSEPH

 

Official PhotoThe Adjutant General, Pennsylvania

Major General James R. Joseph is The Adjutant General, Pennsylvania. He assumed the duties as the 52nd Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and Commander, Pennsylvania National Guard on January 20, 2015. In this cabinet-level position headquartered at Fort Indiantown Gap, General Joseph is responsible for command, control and supervision of National Guard units - Army and Air - allocated to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, six state-owned veterans' homes and programs for Pennsylvania's one million veterans.

General Joseph began his military career as an enlisted soldier in 1971. He completed basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey; advanced individual training as a military policeman at Fort Gordon, Georgia and completed a tour of duty in Vietnam, where he was assigned to the 716th Military Police Battalion. He completed his active duty tour at Fort Polk, Louisiana, with the 258th Military Police Company. General Joseph joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1974 and was assigned as a combat engineer with Company C, 876th Engineer Battalion.

General Joseph completed Officer Candidate School in 1978 at Fort Benning, Georgia and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. He has held leadership positions from Platoon Leader through Assistant Division Commander including numerous key staff positions. He served as Commander of the, 213th Area Support Group until his selection as Deputy Chief and then as Chief, Counterdrug Office, National Guard Bureau. General Joseph has also served as Assistant Division Commander, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard. He served as Assistant Adjutant General - Army, also serving as Commander, Joint Force Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard, Annville, Pennsylvania. Prior to his present assignment, he served as Special Assistant to the Combatant Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command/United States Northern Command for National Guard Matters and Liaison to the Chief, National Guard Bureau.

General Joseph served as the Chairman of the National Guard Bureau Joint Advisory Council, is a Senior Facilitator at United States Northern Command for the Joint Task Force Commanders Training Course, served as Acting Deputy Director, J5, United States Northern Command and is Dual Status Commander qualified.


EDUCATION:

1976 York College, Associate of Science, Police Science, York, Pennsylvania
1978 York College, Bachelor of Science, Police Science, York, Pennsylvania
1979 Municipal Police Training Certification, Pennsylvania State Police Academy, Wyoming, Pennsylvania
1993 Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, Quantico, Virginia
1995 Minor Judiciary Education Board of Pennsylvania Courts, District Judge Certification, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
1998 Shippensburg University, Master of Public Administration, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
1998 U.S. Army War College, Strategic Studies, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
2006 Emergency Management Institute, Emergency Management Director Course, Federal Emergency Management Agency Training Center, Emittsburg, Maryland
2006 Joint Task Force Commander Course, Norfolk, Virginia
2010 Adjutants General National Security Seminar, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
2011 Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
2011 Defense Policy Seminar, The Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
2011 Dual Status Commander Qualification Course, United States Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
2012 National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2013 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. September 1978 - May 1980, Engineer Platoon Leader, Company C, 876th Engineer Battalion, Hazleton, Pennsylvania
2. May 1980 - July 1981, Executive Officer, Company C, 876th Engineer Battalion, Hazleton, Pennsylvania
3. July 1981 - July 1986,Commander, Company C, 876th Engineer Battalion, Hazleton, Pennsylvania
4. July 1986 - June 1992, Engineer Staff Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 213th Area Support Group, Allentown, Pennsylvania
5. June 1992 - July 1993, Executive Officer, 337th Maintenance Battalion, Reading, Pennsylvania
6. July 1993 - November 1995,Commander, 154th Transportation Battalion, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7. November 1995 - August 1998, Secretary of the General Staff, Headquarters, State Area Command (-), Annville, Pennsylvania
8. August 1998 - November 2000, Commander, 213th Area Support Group, Allentown, Pennsylvania
9. November 2000 - September 2001, Deputy Chief, National Guard Bureau Counter Drug Office, Arlington, Virginia
10. September 2001 - June 2004, Chief, National Guard Bureau Counter Drug Office, Arlington, Virginia
11. June 2004 - July 2005,Chief, Deputy J2/3, Joint Force Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard, Annville, Pennsylvania
12. July 2005 - April 2007, Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Joint Force Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard, Annville, Pennsylvania
13. April 2007 - June 2009, Assistant Division Commander, 28th Infantry Division, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
14. June 2009 - April 2011, Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Joint Force Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard, Annville, Pennsylvania
15. April 2011 - June 2011, Acting Deputy Director, Plans, Policy and Strategy, NORAD and USNORTHCOM J5, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
16. June 2011 - April 2012, Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Joint Force Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard, Annville, Pennsylvania
17. April 2012 - January 2015, Special Assistant to the Combatant Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command/United States Northern Command for National Guard Matters and Liaison to the Chief, National Guard Bureau, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
18. January 2015 - Present, The Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard, Annville, Pennsylvania

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars)
Vietnam Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Global War on Terror Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 5)
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (with Palm)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation
Pennsylvania Meritorious Service Medal
Pennsylvania Commendation Medal
Pennsylvania Service Ribbon (with Numeral 3)
Pennsylvania Twenty Year Service Medal (with 4 Silver Stars)
Major General Thomas R. White Jr. Medal
General Thomas J. Stewart Medal
California Medal of Merit
Arizona Distinguished Service Medal
Governor's Unit Citation (with 1 Silver Star)
German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold)
The Adjutant General's Staff Identification Badge

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Former Chief of Police, (retired)
Former Director, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:

American Legion
Veterans of Foreign War
Fraternal Order of Police
National Guard Association of United States and Pennsylvania
Luzerne County Chiefs of Police Association
Northeast Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association
Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association
Federal Bureau of investigation National Academy Associates - National and Pennsylvania Chapters
United States Army War College Alumni Association

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

1978 Commandant's List, Army Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia
1984 Freedom Award, Engineer Officer Advanced Course, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
1999 Hall of Fame, Army Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia
1999 Legion of Honor Award, The Chapel of Four Chaplains, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
2005 Distinguished Member of the Transportation Corps Regiment, The United States Army Transportation Corps, Fort Eustis, Virginia
2011 Distinguished Member of the Regiment, First Defenders, 213th Regiment, Allentown, Pennsylvania
2011 Eagle Award, Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
2012 Honorable Order of Saint Barbara, United States Field Artillery Association

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 25 September 1978
First Lieutenant 24 September 1981
Captain 4 November 1982
Major 12 November 1986
Lieutenant Colonel 27 September 1993
Colonel 1 July 1998
Brigadier General 30 September 2005
Major General 5 January 2011

 

 

(Current as of February 2015)

 

The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.

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