Director
of Joint Staff, Indiana National Guard
Brigadier General Brian R. Copes serves as Director of Joint Staff, Indiana National Guard. He is the principal senior staff officer and policy advisor on Army, Air and Joint matters for The Adjutant General of Indiana on a daily basis. He carries the responsibility for translating guidance and intent into actionable plans for the Joint Force Headquarters Staff, Army Major Commands and Air Wings comprising the over 14,000 Soldiers and Airmen of the Indiana National Guard. General Copes orchestrates the integrated joint staff of the fourth-largest Army National Guard and sixth-largest combined Army-Air Guard State in generating individual and collective readiness, sustaining performance and enhancing the reputation of the Indiana National Guard. General Copes oversees the planning, programming, budgeting and execution of a $350-400 million annual budget.
General Copes was commissioned in 1983 from the United States Army Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia. In 2009, he commanded the first of seven Indiana Agribusiness Development Teams deployed to Khowst Province, Afghanistan. During the 2005 Hurricane Katrina no-notice response mission, he served as Chief of Staff, 38th Infantry Division acting as Joint Task Force Cyclone headquartered in Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi with command and control of over 14,000 Army and Air Guard personnel from 34 States. During the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team 2000 Joint Readiness Training Center rotation, then Major Copes served as the 38th Aviation Brigade Task Force S-3 organizing and employing a 9-state, 14-unit, 32-helicopter task force. He has served in multiple division-level Battle Command Training Program (Warfighter) exercises serving in 2007 as Chief of Staff, 38th Division and in 2001 as G-3, 38th Division. In 1996, he commanded a small aviation task force in Savannah, Georgia supporting 22 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies during the Centennial Olympic Games. General Copes has over 1,700 flight hours in UH-1H and OH-58 helicopters, was a qualified and practicing UH-1 Instructor Pilot, and served in operational flying positions for 17 years.
General Copes enlisted as a Private in 1977 serving as a helicopter mechanic and achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6) prior to his commissioning. He attended both Basic and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Courses.
1989 Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Associate Degree,
General Studies, Indianapolis, Indiana
1993 Indiana Wesleyan University, Bachelor of Science, Management, Marion,
Indiana
1997 Indiana Wesleyan University, Master of Science, Management, Marion, Indiana
2005 United States Army War College, Master of Science, Strategic Studies,
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
2005 United States Army War College, by correspondence
2012 Dual-Status Commander Course, United States Northern Command, Peterson Air
Force Base, Colorado
2013 Army Strategic Leaders Development Course-Basic, Falls Church, Virginia
2014 Force Integration Course for Senior Leaders (FICSL)/GO Procurement Course.
Ft Belvoir, Virginia
1. October 1983 - May 1986, Section Leader, Company A, 38th Aviation
Battalion (Combat), Shelbyville, Indiana
2. June 1986 - September 1986, Platoon Leader, Company A, 38th Aviation
Battalion (Combat), Shelbyville, Indiana
3. October 1986 - September 1987, Platoon Leader, 38th Aviation Company,
Shelbyville, Indiana
4. October 1987 - April 1989, Troop Commander, Troop D, 1st Battalion, 238th
Cavalry, Shelbyville, Indiana
5. May 1989 - September 1990, Operations Officer, Company D, 2nd Battalion,
238th Aviation, Shelbyville, Indiana
6. October 1990 - January 1991, Commander, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 238th
Aviation, Shelbyville, Indiana
7. February 1991 - April 1995, S-3 Air, Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
38th Aviation Brigade, Shelbyville, Indiana
8. May 1995 - September 1998, S-2, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 38th
Aviation Brigade, Shelbyville, Indiana
9. October 1998 - September 2000, S-3, Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
38th Aviation Brigade, Shelbyville, Indiana
10. September 2000 - May 2003, G-3, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 38th
Infantry Division (Mechanized), Indianapolis, Indiana
11. June 2003 - October 2003, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Headquarters,
State Area Command Indianapolis, Indiana
12. November 2003 - February 2007, Chief of Staff, Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 38th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Indianapolis, Indiana
13. February 2007 - June 2008, Chief of Staff, Indiana Joint Forces
Headquarters, Indianapolis, Indiana
14. July 2008 - October 2008, Senior Mentor, Indiana Joint Force Headquarters,
Indianapolis, Indiana
15. October 2008 - January 2009, Commander, Indiana Joint Force Headquarters,
Indianapolis, Indiana
16. January 2009 - January 2010, Commander, Agribusiness Development Team,
Forward Operating Base Salerno, Khost Providence, Afghanistan
17. January 2010 - November 2011, Chief of Staff, Indiana Joint Force
Headquarters, Indianapolis, Indiana
18. December 2011 - Present, Director of Joint Staff, Indiana Joint Force
Headquarters, Indianapolis, Indiana
Rating: Instructor
Flight Hours: 1,700
Aircraft Flown: UH-1H, OH-58, UH-1
Pilot wings from: Ft. Rucker, Alabama
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
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)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass and M Device)
Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (with Numeral 3)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
Indiana Distinguished Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Indiana Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Indiana Long Service Medal (with 30 Year Device)
Indiana Emergency Service Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Indiana Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
Indiana Outside Continental United States Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf
Cluster)
Indiana Recruiting Ribbon
Indiana Retention Ribbon
Georgia Olympic Service Ribbon
Mississippi Emergency Service Ribbon
Mississippi Magnolia Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Indiana Military Volunteer Emblem
Combat Action Badge
Senior Army Aviator Badge
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Indiana
Association of the United States Army
American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars
1982 Indianapolis Star News Military Achievement Award
1993 Indiana Wesleyan University Outstanding Professional Award
1997 Indiana Wesleyan University Outstanding Professional Award
2004 Order of Saint Maurice (National Infantry Association)
2006 Indiana Wesleyan University Distinguished Alumni Award
2011 Indiana Wesleyan University Outstanding Achievement Award
Second Lieutenant ARNG 18 October 1983
First Lieutenant ARNG 17 October 1986
Captain ARNG 12 January 1989
Major ARNG 17 October 1995
Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 31 January 2001
Colonel ARNG 26 July 2004
Brigadier General ARNG 01 May 2012
(Current as of February 2015)