National Guard
Brigadier General (AR) OLEN C. BRIDGES
  
The Adjutant General, Arkansas
North Little Rock, AR
Since: August 2024
 Official Photo
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE  OCS

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
Excelsior College - BS - Liberal Arts
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies

MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses
United States Army Command and General Staff College
United States Army War College

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(S)  None Recorded

PROMOTIONS DATE OF APPOINTMENT
2LT 17 Aug 98
1LT 17 Aug 00
CPT 11 Jun 03
MAJ 16 Jan 08
LTC 20 Sep 13
COL 3 Oct 13

FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
Aug 24 Present The Adjutant General, Arkansas, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Sep 21 Jul 24 Commander, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, North Little Rock, Arkansas and Operation EUROPEAN ASSURE, DETER AND REINFORCE, Grafenwoehr, Germany
May 19 Jun 21 Director, Army National Guard Programs, United States Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (ASD (M&RA)), Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
Jun 17 May 19 Military Assistant for Readiness Integration, Army National Guard, United States Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (ASD (M&RA)), Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
Jul 16 Jun 17 Student, United States Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Jul 14 Jul 16 Commander, 2nd Infantry Battalion, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Searcy, Arkansas
Mar 13 Jul 14 Chief, Capabilities and Integration Branch, Army National Guard Operations Division, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
Feb 12 Mar 13 Executive Officer to G3, Army National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
Jun 11 Feb 12 Chief of Operations, Current Operations Branch, Mobilization and Readiness Division, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
Jun 10 Jun 11 Operation ENDURING FREEDOM Desk Officer, Mobilization and Readiness Division, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
Jun 09 Jun 10 Aide-de-Camp/Executive Officer to the Deputy Commanding General- First Army, Headquarters, First United States Army, Fort Gillem, Georgia
Jul 08 Jun 09 Student, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Jan 08 Jul 08 Training Management Branch Chief, National Guard Professional Education Center, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Apr 06 Jan 08 Operations Branch Chief, National Guard Professional Education Center, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Mar 06 Apr 06 Assistant Operations Officer (S3), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Searcy, Arkansas
May 05 Mar 06 Commander, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Batesville, Arkansas
Oct 04 May 05 Commander, Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Camp Taji, Iraq
Oct 03 Oct 04 Personnel Officer (S1), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Camp Taji, Iraq
Sep 02 Oct 03 Personnel Officer (S1), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Searcy, Arkansas
Oct 01 Sep 02 Platoon Leader, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, Brigade Combat Team, Forrest City, Arkansas and Operation NOBLE EAGLE, Sinai, Egypt
Sep 00 Jan 01 Selective Service Area Coordinator, Detachment 1, Selective Service Section, Camp Robinson, Arkansas
Aug 98 Sep 00 Platoon Leader, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Forrest City, Arkansas

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Commander, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Operation EUROPEAN ASSURE, DETER AND REINFORCE, Grafenwoehr, Germany Apr 23 - Jan 24 Colonel
Commander, Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Camp Taji, Iraq Oct 04 - May 05 Captain
Personnel Officer (S1), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Camp Taji, Iraq Oct 03 - Oct 04 Captain
Platoon Leader, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, Operation NOBLE EAGLE, Sinai, Egypt Oct 01 - Aug 02 First Lieutenant

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Iraq Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Campaign Star)
Global War on Terrorism-Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism-Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass, M Device and Numeral 3)
Army Service Ribbon
Multinational Force and Observers Medal
Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
Arkansas Federal Service Ribbon (with 1 Diamond)
Arkansas Service Ribbon (with 1 Silver Diamond)
Arkansas Emergency Service Ribbon
Combat Infantryman Badge
Expert Infantryman Badge
Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge

 

 

As of: 13 Jun 25

 

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