National Guard
Major General Blake C. Ortner
  
Military Executive, Reserve Forces Policy Board
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Washington, DC
Since: April 2018
 Official Photo
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE ROTC

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - BA - International Relations
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies

MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
Joint & Combined Warfighting School (JCWS) JPME-II
United States Army War College
Harvard University, General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar
Enabling Mission Command Workshop (EMCW)
George C. Marshall Center, Senior Executive Seminar
Interim Guard Senior Leader Training (IGSLT)
Army Senior Leader Development Program-Basic (ASLDP-B)
Army Strategic Education Program - Advanced (ASEP-A)
Army Strategic Education Program - Command (ASEP-C)
CAPSTONE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(S) None Recorded

PROMOTIONS DATE OF APPOINTMENT
2LT 11 Jun 83
1LT 25 Nov 84
CPT 7 Nov 89
MAJ 5 Aug 98
LTC 7 Aug 03
COL 3 Aug 07
BG 15 Jan 14
MG 7 Dec 16

FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
Apr 18 Present Military Executive, Reserve Forces Policy Board, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, District of Columbia
Jul 17 Mar 18 Commander, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Dec 16 Jul 17 Commander, TF SPARTAN, 29th Infantry Division, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
Jul 15 Dec 16 Commander, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Nov 14 Jul 15 Assistant Division Commander- Maneuver (ADC-M), 29th Infantry Division, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Jun 13 Nov 14 Commander, Land Component Command, Sandston, Virginia
Apr 12 Jun 13 Plans, Operations and Training Officer, Joint Forces Headquarters Virginia, Virginia Army National Guard, Blackstone, Virginia
Jan 12 Mar 12 Commander, Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Virginia Army National Guard, Staunton, Virginia
May 11 Dec 11 Commander, Combined Task Force Zabul, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Combined Joint Task Force 10, Qalat, Afghanistan
Apr 09 May 11 Commander, Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Virginia Army National Guard, Staunton, Virginia
May 08 Mar 09 Deputy Commander, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Virginia Army National Guard, Staunton, Virginia
Nov 07 May 08 Chief, Current Operations - Night, Multi-National Force-Iraq Strategic Operations, Baghdad, Iraq
Jul 07 Nov 07 Deputy Commander, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Joint Area Support Group-Central Command, Virginia Army National Guard, Baghdad, Iraq
Mar 07 Jun 07 Deputy Commander, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Virginia Army National Guard, Staunton, Virginia
Mar 06 Feb 07 Executive Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Virginia Army National Guard, Staunton, Virginia
Jul 05 Feb 06 Battalion Commander, Headquarters Headquarters 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard, Winchester, Virginia
Jul 04 Jul 05 Battalion Commander, 3d 116th Infantry Battalion, Task Force Normandy, Combined Joint Task Force Thunder, Virginia Army National Guard, Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan
Sep 02 Jun 04 Battalion Commander, Headquarters Headquarters 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard, Winchester, Virginia
Jun 02 Aug 02 Executive Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 116 Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry, Virginia Army National Guard, Lynchburg, Virginia
Aug 01 May 02 Chief, G-3 Operations, 29th Infantry Division, Multinational Division (North), Task Force Eagle, NATO Stabilization Force-10, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Nov 00 Aug 01 Chief, G-3 Operations, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Dec 99 Oct 00 Battalion S-3, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 116 Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard, Lynchburg, Virginia
Sep 97 Nov 99 Operations Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Aug 92 Sep 97 Assistant Plans Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Apr 91 Jul 92 Company Commander, Company C, 1st Battalion, 170th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Leesburg, Virginia
Nov 89 Mar 91 Assistant S-3 Air, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 2d Brigade, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Bowling Green, Virginia
Sep 87 Oct 89 Inactive Ready Reserve
Feb 87 Sep 87 Battalion S-1 Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington
Dec 85 Feb 87 Platoon Leader, Company C, 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington
Sep 84 Dec 85 Scout Platoon Leader, Combat Support Company, 2d Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington
Oct 83 Sep 84 Platoon Leader, Company C, 2d Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Military Executive, Reserve Forces Policy Board, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, District of Columbia Apr 18 - Present Major General
Commander, Combined Task Force Zabul, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Combined Joint Task Force 10, Qalat, Afghanistan May 11 - Dec 11 Colonel
Battalion Commander, 3d 116th Infantry Battalion, Task Force Normandy, Combined Joint Task Force Thunder, Virginia Army National Guard, Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan Jul 04 - Jul 05 Lieutenant Colonel
Chief, G-3 Operations, 29th Infantry Division, Multinational Division (North), Task Force Eagle, NATO Stabilization Force-10, Bosnia-Herzegovina Aug 01 - May 02 Major

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Commander, TF SPARTAN, 29th Infantry Division, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait Dec 16 - Jul 17 Major General
Commander, Combined Task Force Zabul, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Combined Joint Task Force 10, Qalat, Afghanistan May 11 - Dec 11 Colonel
Chief, Current Operations - Night, Multi-National Force-Iraq Strategic Operations, Baghdad, Iraq Nov 07 - May 08 Colonel
Deputy Commander, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Joint Area Support Group-Central Command, Virginia Army National Guard, Baghdad, Iraq Jul 07 - Nov 07 Colonel
Battalion Commander, 3d 116th Infantry Battalion, Task Force Normandy, Combined Joint Task Force Thunder, Virginia Army National Guard, Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan Jul 04 - Jul 05 Lieutenant Colonel
Chief, G-3 Operations, 29th Infantry Division, Multinational Division (North), Task Force Eagle, NATO Stabilization Force-10, Bosnia-Herzegovina Aug 01 - May 02 Major

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Army Distinguished Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star Device)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
Iraq Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass, "M" Device, and Numeral 2)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 5)
Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
Combat Infantry Badge
Combat Action Badge
Ranger Tab
Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge
Parachutist Badge
Secretary of Defense Identification Badge

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION
Worked as the Deputy Government Relations Director for Paralyzed Veterans of America located in Washington, D.C. General Ortner was responsible for Federal legislation and government relations, as well as budget analysis and appropriations, pertaining to veteran's benefits and services provided to veterans. He represented Paralyzed Veterans of America by preparing testimony and testifying to both House and Senate Committees regarding veterans' issues and proposed legislation.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Virginia Army National Guard Officer's Association
Army War College Alumni Association
Association of the United States Army

 

 

As of: 20 May 19

 

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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