Director, Doctrine, Training and Force Development (J-7), National Guard Bureau
Major General Saunders serves on the joint staff of the National Guard Bureau. As the Director of Doctrine, Training and Force Development, he is responsible for developing training and exercise policies and programs to ensure joint units of the National Guard are ready to respond to their homeland defense and homeland security missions. He manages a staff that is responsible for National Guard Bureau oversight of the Vigilant Guard exercise program, Joint Commander Training Course and the Joint State Staff Officer Course. He is responsible for facilitating the Joint Force Headquarters in the 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia in their use the Joint Training Management System. He also provides oversight of the National Guard lessons learned program and he ensures use of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Assessment Program. In addition, he formulates National Guard Joint Professional Military Education policy, and coordinates periodic review of all Joint Professional Military Education curriculums. He provides Joint Staff oversight to National Guard Homeland Defense and Joint Interagency Training Centers.
General Saunders received his commission in February 1979 as an Officer Candidate School graduate of the Iowa Military Academy at Camp Dodge, Iowa. He began his military career as an enlisted soldier in the United States Army Reserve where he earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. As the National Guard Bureau J-7, he has overseen creation and successful implementation of the Vigilant Guard exercise program, the Joint Commander Training Course and the Joint Staff Officer - State training program. In addition, he has ensured that these programs received appropriate funding from the Department of Defense.
1972 Mankato State University, Bachelor of Science, Broadcasting, Mankato, Minnesota
1989 University of Michigan, Organizational Career Development program, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1997 University of Michigan, Management of Managers program, Ann Arbor, Michigan
2000 University of South Dakota, Master of Science, Administrative Studies, Vermillion, South Dakota
2001 U.S. Army War College, Master of Science, Strategic Studies, by correspondence
2006 Lauder School of Government, Counter-Terrorism Executive post graduate studies program, Herzliya, Israel
1. February 1979 - October 1981, Battalion Fire Support Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 14th Field Artillery, United States Army Reserve, Sioux City, Iowa
2. November 1981 - September 1983, Executive Officer Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 14th Field Artillery, United States Army Reserve, Sac City, Iowa
3. September 1983 - March 1984, S-3 Air (Operations), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion (Mechanized), 133rd Infantry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, Sioux City, Iowa
4. March 1984 - October 1985, S-2 (Intelligence), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion (Mechanized), 133rd Infantry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, Sioux City, Iowa
5. October 1985 - September 1988, Company Commander, Company A, 2d Battalion (Mechanized), 133rd Infantry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, LeMars, Iowa
6. October 1988 - May 1990, Assistant S-3 (Operations), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 34th Infantry Brigade, 47th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard, Boone, Iowa.
7. June 1990 - January 1993, S-3 (Operations) Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion (Mechanized), 133rd Infantry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, Sioux City, Iowa
8. January 1993 - February 1995 Executive Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion (Mechanized), 133rd Infantry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, Sioux City, Iowa
9. February 1995 - October 1996, Commander, 2d Battalion (Mechanized), 133rd Infantry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, Sioux City, Iowa
10. October 1996 - August 1998, Commander, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, Sioux City, Iowa
11. August 1998 - February 2001, State Quality Coordinator, Headquarters State Area Command, Iowa Army National Guard, Johnston, Iowa
12. February 2001 - March 2002, Special Projects Officer, Headquarters State Area Command, Iowa Army National Guard, Johnston, Iowa
13. April 2002 - September 2004, Commander, 2d Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard, Boone, Iowa
14. October 2003 - September 2004, Deputy Commander - Operations, Task Force Falcon, Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo
15. October 2004 - Present, Director, Doctrine, Training and Force Development (J-7), National Guard Bureau, Arlington,
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Stars)
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
NATO Medal
Excellence in Competition Badge (Bronze Rifle)
President and Owner of Human Resources Associates, Limited Liability Company located in Sioux City, Iowa. The company provides expert human resource management advice, strategic planning, management consulting services and leadership development programs to public and private organizations primarily in the upper Midwest region of the United States.
Iowa National Guard Officers Association
Life Member, National Guard Association of the United States, Washington, D.C.
Life Member, US Army War College Alumni Association, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Society of Human Resource Management, Alexandria, Virginia
Tri-State Disaster Preparedness Committee, Sioux City, Iowa
Emergency & Disaster Management Curriculum Advisory Committee, WIT Community College, Sioux City, Iowa
Chairman, St. Luke's Health Foundation Board of Directors, Sioux City, Iowa
2002 Certification as Senior Professional, Human Resources, Society of Human Resource Management, Alexandria, Virginia
2007 National Guard Bureau, Joint Commander Training Course, United States Northern Command, Colorado Springs, Colorado
2007 Defense Support of Civil Authorities Course, Army-North, Colorado, Springs, Colorado
2007 Constellation / Automated Critical Asset Management System Course, Department of Homeland Security, Camp Dodge, Iowa
Second Lieutenant USAR 1 February 1979
First Lieutenant USAR 31 January 1982
Captain ARNG 26 November 1984
Major ARNG 18 September 1990
Lieutenant Colonel 04 February 1995
Colonel ARNG 21 March 2001
Brigadier General (Line) ARNG 14 October 2004
Major General ARNG 12 December 2006
(Current as of December 2007)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.