BRIGADIER GENERAL MARIANNE E. WATSON
Retired January 1, 2014
Director, Manpower and Personnel (J-1) - National Guard Bureau
Brigadier General Marianne E. Watson served as the Director of Manpower and Personnel, (J-1), at the National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Virginia. She had the primary responsibility to a National Guard Joint Manpower, Personnel, and Services Team leveraging a network of strategic partners, fostering and enabling a resilient operational reserve and to advocate for National Guard Service Members, Families and Veterans by leveraging resources and programs across the spectrum of stakeholders.
General Watson received her commission and was selected as the Honor Graduate of the Virginia National Guard Military Academy Officers Candidate School Class 31 at Ft. A.P. Hill. She served full-time as a Company Commander, Detachment Commander in the Virginia Army National Guard and Battalion Executive Officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard. General Watson served at the National Guard Bureau since 1987. She served as the Officer Management Branch Chief, Personnel Division and later as the Chief, Army National Guard Personnel Division. General Watson deployed to Bagram Afghanistan as the Chief, National Guard Affairs. Upon her return, she served as the Army National Guard G1 for approximately three years.
EDUCATION:
1991 St. Louis University, Bachelor of Arts Degree, Management, Saint Louis, Missouri
1996 Averett University, Master of Business Administration, Virginia
2005 National Defense University, Masters Degree in National Security Strategy, Fort McNair, Washington, District of Columbia
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. June 1989 - July 1991, Personnel Operations Officer, Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
2. July 1990 - September 1993, Program Budget Analyst, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
3. September 1993 - January 1996, Assignments Officer, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
4. January 1996 - September 1996, Commander, 529th Support Battalion Company, Bowling Green, Virginia
5. September 1996 - June 1997, Commander, Troop Command Detachment, Richmond, Virginia
6. June 1997 - January 2000, Education Officer, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
7. January 2000 - May 2001, Commander, Recruiting & Retention Command Team, Roseville, Minnesota
8. May 2001 - August 2002, Executive Officer, 147th Personnel Services Battalion, St. Paul, Minnesota
9. August 2002 - August 2004, Chief, Officer Management Branch, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
10. August 2004 - June 2005, Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington District of Columbia
11. June 2005 - January 2008, Chief, Army National Guard Personnel, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
12. January 2008 - August 2008, Chief, Army National Guard Affairs Office, Bagram, Afghanistan
13. August 2008 - June 2011, Director, Army National Guard (G-1), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
14. June 2011 - December 2013, Director, Manpower and Personnel (J-1), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Star)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with Bronze Star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass and Mobilization Device)
Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon
North Atlantic Treaty Organization International Security Assistance Force Ribbon
Army Staff Identification Badge
Army Superior Unit Award
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Minnesota
American Legion, Springfield, Virginia
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant 10 June 1989
First Lieutenant 13 March 1991
Captain 25 March 1993
Major 30 June 1997
Lieutenant Colonel 6 June 2002
Colonel 16 March 2006
Brigadier General 29 December 2011
(Current as of April 2014)