BRIGADIER GENERAL JAMES R. ANDERSON

Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Michigan National Guard

Brigadier General James R. Anderson is the Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Michigan National Guard and also serves as Deputy Director, Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. He is responsible to the Adjutant General for the daily coordination, supervision, training and resourcing of the Michigan Army National Guard.

General Anderson was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on October 16, 1979, through the Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Prior to receiving his commission, General Anderson served as an enlisted member of the 207th Engineer Battalion, serving in various positions within the Battalion Headquarters for 7 ' years, where he earned the rank of Specialist Six.

Up until his retirement from Michigan Public Education in February 2004, he was a traditional Guardsman and worked as an elementary teacher and principal for 32 years in Michigan public schools.

EDUCATION:

1972 Central Michigan University, Bachelors Degree in Education, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
1975 Central Michigan University, Masters Degree in Educational Administration, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
2000 Michigan State University, Doctorate of Philosophy in Family Child Ecology, East Lansing, Michigan
2003 United States Army War College, Masters Degree in Strategic Planning, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. October 1979 - June 1981, Platoon Leader, 1435th Engineer Company, Bay City, Michigan
2. June 1981 - March 1982, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, 1436th Engineer Company, Bay City, Michigan
3. March 1982 - March 1987, Commander, 1435th Engineer Company, Bay City, Michigan
4. March 1987 - April 1990, S-4 (Logistics), Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 207th Engineer Battalion, Bay City, Michigan
5. May 1990 - October 1992, S-3 (Operations), Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 207th Engineer Battalion, Bay City, Michigan
6. November 1992 - August 1993, Executive Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 207th Engineer Battalion, Bay City, Michigan
7. September 1993 - December 1993, Unit Training Officer, Headquarters State Area Command, Michigan Army National Guard, Lansing, Michigan
8. December 1993 - December 1994, Executive Officer, Headquarters Company, 46th Engineer Group, Flint, Michigan
9. December 1994 - August 1995, S-1 (Adjutant), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 46th Engineer Group, Flint, Michigan
10. September 1995 - March 1997, Executive Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 507th Engineer Battalion, Wyoming, Michigan
11. April 1997 - December 2000, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 507th Engineer Battalion, Wyoming, Michigan
12. December 2000 - July 2002, Commander, 63rd Brigade Troop Command, Jackson, Michigan
13. July 2002 - June 2003, Student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
14. June 2003 - March 2004, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Engineer Brigade, 38th Infantry Division, Flint, Michigan
15. March 2004 - October 2006, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Joint Force Headquarters, Michigan Army National Guard, Lansing, Michigan
16. October 2006 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Michigan National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Lansing, Michigan

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
Michigan Legion of Merit
Michigan Service Medal (with 1 Gold Oak Leaf Cluster)
State Active Service Medal
OCONUS Ribbon

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:

National Guard Association of Michigan
National Guard Association of United States

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant ARNG 16 October 1979
First Lieutenant ARNG 15 October 1982
Captain ARNG 27 October 1983
Major ARNG 21 June 1990
Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 1 April 1997
Colonel ARNG 3 May 2001
Brigadier General ARNG 1 August 2008

(Current as of January 2010)