National Guard
Major General RALPH H. GROOVER, III
  
Special Assistant to Director, Army National Guard
Arlington, VA
Since: October 2020
 Official Photo
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE  OCS

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
New York Regents College - BS - Sociology
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - MS - Aeronautical Science
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies

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

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(S)  Spanish

PROMOTIONS DATE OF APPOINTMENT
2LT 20 Aug 83
1LT 20 Aug 86
CPT 10 May 88
MAJ 1 Jan 96
LTC 11 May 01
COL 25 Jul 07
BG 1 Apr 11
MG 1 May 16

FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
Oct 20 Present Special Assistant to Director, Army National Guard , Arlington, Virginia
Jun 17 Sep 20 Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, United States Defense Attaché Office, Cairo, Egypt
May 16 Apr 17 Director, Exercises and Training Directorate, J-7, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
Sep 11 Apr 16 Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, J-5, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
Apr 11 Sep 11 Deputy Director of Operations, J-3, United States, Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
Oct 10 Apr 11 Commander, Special Operations Detachment-Central, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
Sep 09 Sep 10 Commander, Special Operations Command and Control Element - Horn of Africa and Deputy Commander (Forward), Special Operations Command Africa, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
Jun 07 Aug 09 Commander, Special Operations Detachment-Central, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
Mar 07 Jun 07 Special Operations Staff Officer, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
Sep 04 Feb 07 Special Operations Forces Liaison Officer, 164th Air Defense Artillery, Orlando, Florida
Jul 03 Sep 04 Special Operations Officer, 32d Army Air Missile Defense Command, Orlando, Florida
Aug 02 Jul 03 Special Operations Officer, 32d Army Air Missile Defense Command Fort Bliss, Texas
Feb 02 Jul 02 Director of Operations and Deputy Commander, Combined Task Force FERVENT ARCHER, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Mar 01 Sep 01 Operations and Training Officer, 211th Training Regiment, Camp Blanding, Florida
Jul 98 Feb 01 Operations and Training Officer, Detachment 1, State Area Command, 83rd Troop Command, Tallahassee, Florida
Oct 97 Jun 98 Chief, Joint Paramilitary Commission, Special Operations Command Europe, OPERATION JOINT GUARD, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Jan 96 Sep 97 Commander, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (A), Ocala, Florida
Oct 94 Dec 95 Executive Officer, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (A), Ocala, Florida
Dec 92 Oct 94 Executive Officer, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (A), Brooksville, Florida
Apr 87 Dec 92 Commander, Operational Detachment-Alpha, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (A), Brooksville, Florida
Dec 84 Apr 87 Executive Officer, Operational Detachment-Alpha, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces, Brooksville, Florida
Aug 83 Dec 84 Executive Officer, Operational Detachment-Alpha, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces, Tampa, Florida

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, United States Defense Attaché Office, Cairo, Egypt Jun 17 - Sep 20 Major General
Director, Exercises and Training Directorate, J-7, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida May 16 - Apr 17 Major General
Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, J-5, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida Sep 11 - Apr 16 Brigadier General
Deputy Director of Operations, J-3, United States, Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida Apr 11 - Sep 11 Brigadier General
Commander, Special Operations Command and Control Element - Horn of Africa and Deputy Commander (Forward), Special Operations Command Africa, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM Sep 09 - Sep 10 Colonel
Special Operations Staff Officer, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM Mar 07 - Jun 07 Lieutenant Colonel
Director of Operations and Deputy Commander, Combined Task Force FERVENT ARCHER, Bosnia-Herzegovina Feb 02 - Jul 02 Lieutenant Colonel
Chief, Joint Paramilitary Commission, Special Operations Command Europe, OPERATION JOINT GUARD, Bosnia-Herzegovina Oct 97 - Jun 98 Major

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Commander, Special Operations Command and Control Element - Horn of Africa and Deputy Commander (Forward), Special Operations Command Africa, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM Sep 09 - Sep 10 Colonel
Special Operations Staff Officer, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM Mar 07 - Jun 07 Lieutenant Colonel
Director of Operations and Deputy Commander, Combined Task Force FERVENT ARCHER, Bosnia-Herzegovina Feb 02 - Jul 02 Lieutenant Colonel
Chief, Joint Paramilitary Commission, Special Operations Command Europe, OPERATION JOINT GUARD, Bosnia-Herzegovina Oct 97 - Jun 98 Major

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Defense Superior Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Joint Service Commendation Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass, M Device and Numeral 4)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 7)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Combat Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Special Forces Tab
Russian Parachutist Badge
Tunisian Parachutist Badge
Ecuadorian Parachutist Badge
Italian Parachutist Badge

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Airline Transport Pilot rated in Helicopters and Airplanes

 

 

As of: 20 Oct 20

 

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