General Officer Biography

MAJOR GENERAL AUGUSTUS L. COLLINS

 

Official PhotoThe Adjutant General, Mississippi

Major General Augustus L. (Leon) Collins was appointed Adjutant General of Mississippi by Governor Phil Bryant on January 11, 2012. He also serves as the Commanding General of both the Mississippi Army and Air National Guard. He is responsible for providing the state of Mississippi and the United States of America with a ready force of more than 12,275 Citizen Soldiers and Airmen, equipped and trained to respond to any contingency, natural or manmade. General Collins directs the Mississippi Military Department and oversees the development and coordination of all policies, plans, and programs of the Mississippi National Guard in concert with the Governor and Legislature of the State.

General Collins began his career when he enlisted in the Mississippi Army National Guard's Company B, 1st Battalion, 198th Armor Regiment in March 1977. He was commissioned in July 1980 upon completion of State Officer Candidate School. He has served in various command and staff positions in units at every level to include Company, Battalion, Regiment, Brigade and the Adjutant General's primary staff in both a traditional and Active Guard Reserve status. General Collins served on active duty in Operation Desert Shield/Storm and well as commanding the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team during combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004-2006. He also served as Director, Mobilization Forces, United States Army Forces Command from February 2006 to October 2007.


EDUCATION:

1982 University of Mississippi, Bachelor of Business Administration, Oxford, Mississippi
1993 Jackson State University, Master of Business Administration, Jackson, Mississippi
2000 United States Army War College, Master of Strategic Studies, by correspondence
2015 United States Army War College, Joint Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. July 1980 - July 1982, Platoon Leader, Company C, 1st Battalion, 198th Armor, Iuka, Mississippi
2. August 1982 - August 1982, Training Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
3. September 1982 - November 1983, Platoon Leader, Company C, 1st Battalion, 198th Armor, Iuka, Mississippi
4. December 1983 - August 1985, Executive Officer, Company C, 1st Battalion, 198th Armor, Iuka, Mississippi
5. September 1985 - November 1988, Commander, Company C, 1st Battalion, 198th Armor, Iuka, Mississippi
6. December 1988 - December 1990, Deputy Inspector General, Headquarters, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
7. December 1990 - May 1991, Commander, Company B, 1st Battalion, 198th Armor, Booneville, Mississippi
8. May 1991 - March 1992, Deputy Inspector General, Headquarters, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
9. April 1992 - January 1994, Assistant Chief of Staff, Headquarters, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
10. January 1994 - June 1994, Training Evaluation Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
11. July 1994 - December 1995, Commander, Headquarters Detachment, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
12. December 1995 - November 1997, Commander, 2nd Battalion, 198th Armor, Senatobia, Mississippi
13. November 1997 - February 1998, Deputy Director of Logistics, Headquarters, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
14. February 1998 - May 1999, Deputy Military Personnel Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
15. June 1999 - September 2003, Director, Military Personnel, Headquarters, State Area Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
16. October 2003 - May 2004, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, Joint Force Headquarters, Mississippi National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
17. May 2004 - August 2004, Commander, 154th Regiment, Regional Training Institute, Camp Shelby, Mississippi
18. August 2004 - February 2006, Commander, 155th Armored Brigade, Tupelo, Mississippi
19. February 2006 - October 2007, Director, Mobilization Forces, United States Army Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Georgia
20. January 2012 - Present, The Adjutant General, Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit (with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Meritorious Service Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal (with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Iraq Campaign Medal (with 2 service stars)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass, "M" Device, and Numeral 2)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
Combat Action Badge
Mississippi Magnolia Cross (with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Mississippi Magnolia Medal
Mississippi Commendation Medal
Mississippi War Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Mississippi Emergency Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Mississippi Service School Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Mississippi Longevity Medal (with 1 Bronze and 1 Silver Leaf Cluster)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS:

Second Lieutenant ARNG 27 July 1980
First Lieutenant ARNG 26 July 1983
Captain ARNG 14 November 1985
Major ARNG 27 June 1991
Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 03 May 1996
Colonel ARNG 01 October 1999
Brigadier General (Line) 10 May 2005
Major General (Line) 17 April 2013

 

 

(Current as of August 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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