BRIGADIER GENERAL MARK A. RUSSO

Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Connecticut National Guard

Brigadier General Mark A. Russo is Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Connecticut National Guard. He is responsible for manning, equipping and training the Connecticut Army National Guard in order to support both State domestic operations and Federal wartime military operations.

General Mark A. Russo began his career in the United States Navy in 1974. He entered the Connecticut Army National Guard in 1979 as a Private First Class in the 242nd Engineer Battalion. He was commissioned in June 1981 through the Connecticut Officer Candidate School. General Russo has commanded at the platoon, company and Brigade level also serving in staff assignments at all levels of commands including state area command and state joint force headquarters. His most recent assignments include Chief of Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Connecticut National Guard, G3/J3, Connecticut Joint Force Headquarters, Connecticut National Guard and Commander, Regional Police Advisory Command, Western Afghanistan.

EDUCATION:

1980 Middlesex Community College, Associate's Degree, Business Administration, Middletown, Connecticut
1982 Infantry Officer Basic Course, Fort Benning, Georgia
1987 Infantry Advance Course, Fort Benning, Georgia
1994 Command and General Staff College, Non-Resident, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
1994 Eastern Connecticut State University, Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Willimantic, Connecticut
1998 Eastern Connecticut State University, Master of Science, Organizational Management, Willimantic, Connecticut
2004 United States Army War College, Master of Strategic Studies, Carlisle, Pennsylvania

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. June 1981 - January 1983, Rifle Platoon Leader, Company B, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, 43rd Infantry Brigade, 26th Infantry Division, Meriden, Connecticut
2. January 1983 - November 1984, Weapons Platoon leader, Company B, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, 43rd Infantry Brigade, 26th Infantry Division, Meriden, Connecticut
3. December 1984 - January 1986, Company Executive Officer, Company B, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, 43rd Infantry Brigade, 26th Infantry Division, Meriden, Connecticut
4. February 1986 - October 1988, Company Commander, Company C, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, 43rd Infantry Brigade, 26th Infantry Division, Middletown, Connecticut
5. November 1988 - September 1989, Company Commander, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Battalion, 43rd Infantry Brigade, 26th Infantry Division, New Haven, Connecticut
6. October 1989 - November 1990, Battalion S-3 (Air), 102nd Infantry Battalion, 43rd Infantry Brigade, 26th Infantry Division, New Haven, Connecticut
7. November 1990 - December 1995, Force Integration Readiness Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Connecticut Army National Guard, Hartford, Connecticut
8. January 1996 - July 1997, Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, 26th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Division, New Haven, Connecticut
9. July 1997 - March 1998, Training Officer, Headquarters, 85th Troop Command, State Area Command, New London, Connecticut
10. March 1998 - September 1998, S3, Headquarters, 85th Troop Command, State Area Command, New London, Connecticut
11. October 1998 - August 1999, Operations Officer, Headquarters, 169th Leadership Regiment, Niantic, Connecticut
12. September 1999 - July 2000, Brigade S-3, Headquarter, 85th Troop Command, Joint Forces Command, New London, Connecticut
13. August 2000 - January 2001, Chief, Military Support Operations Branch, Headquarters, State Area Command, Connecticut Army National Guard, Hartford Connecticut
14. February 2001 - August 2002, Commander, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, 26th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Division, New Haven, Connecticut
15. September 2002 - July 2003, Executive Officer, Headquarters, 169th Leadership Regiment, Niantic, Connecticut
16. July 2003 - June 2004, Student, United States Army War College, (Resident), Carlisle, Pennsylvania
17. June 2004 - January 2005, Executive Officer, Headquarters, 85th Troop Command, Joint Force Headquarters - Connecticut, New London, Connecticut
18. February 2005 - January 2006, Chief of Staff, Joint Force Headquarters - Connecticut, Connecticut National Guard, Hartford, Connecticut
19. February 2006 - December 2006, Commander, 169th Leadership Regiment, Connecticut Army National Guard, Niantic, Connecticut
20. December 2006 - April 2007, Commander, Detachment 32, Joint Force Headquarters - Connecticut, Connecticut Army National Guard, Niantic, Connecticut
21. April 2007 - July 2007, Commander, Detachment 32, Embedded Training Team Forward, Joint Force Headquarters - Connecticut, 1st Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas
22. July 2007 - April 2008, Commander, Regional Police Advisory Command - West, Heart, Afghanistan
23. April 2008 - September 2008, Commander, Detachment 32, Embedded Training Team, Joint Force Headquarters - Connecticut, Connecticut National Guard, Hartford, Connecticut
24. September 2008 - September 2008, Director of Operations, J3/5/7, Joint Force Headquarters, Connecticut National Guard, Hartford, Connecticut
25. September 2008 - January 2009, Retired Reserve, Saint Louis, Missouri
26. January 2009 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Joint forces Headquarters - Connecticut, Connecticut National Guard, Hartford Connecticut

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Navy Expeditionary Medal
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass and M Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Navy Expeditionary Medal
Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal
Connecticut Long Service Medal (with 30 Year Device)
Connecticut Emergency Service Ribbon (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Combat Action Badge
Submarine Qualification Badge

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Assistant Adjutant General, Connecticut Military Department, Hartford, Connecticut

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:

National Guard Association of Connecticut
National Guard Association of the United States

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 27 June 1981
First Lieutenant 27 June 1985
Captain 13 May 1987
Major 29 June 1992
Lieutenant Colonel 12 August 1999
Colonel 22 October 2003
Brigadier General 22 December 2010

(Current as of November 2012)