National Guard
Major General JAMES D. CRAIG
  
Special Assistant to the Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau
Washington, DC
Retired since: December 2019
 Official Photo
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE  USMA

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
United States Military Academy - BS - Civil Engineering
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies

MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
Infantry Mortar Platoon Officers Course
Field Artillery Officer Basic Course
Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course
Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course
Special Forces Detachment Qualification Course
Combined Arms and Services Staff School
United States Army Command and General Staff College
Joint Task Force Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
United States Army War College
Joint Special Operations Task Force Organization/Planning (Phase II) Training
Army Senior Leader Development Program-Basic (ASLDP-B)
Army Strategic Education Program - Transition (ASEP-T)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(S)  None Recorded

PROMOTIONS DATE OF APPOINTMENT
2LT 22 May 85
1LT 22 Nov 86
CPT 1 Nov 89
MAJ 17 Nov 98
LTC 24 Feb 04
COL 9 Dec 09
BG 18 Nov 15
MG 28 Jun 18

FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
Jul 19 Sep 19 Special Assistant to the Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau, Washington, District of Columbia
May 18 Jul 19 Commander, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Africa
Nov 15 May 18 Deputy Commanding General, Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), USCENTCOM, Tampa, Florida
Apr 15 Nov 15 Director, Joint Staff - (FL) Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ), St Augustine, Florida
Jun 12 Apr 15 Commander, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Alabama
Apr 11 Jun 12 Commander, Special Operations Detachment - Central, MacDill AFB, Florida
Oct 10 Apr 11 Deputy Commander/ Chief of Staff, Special Operations Detachment - Central, MacDill AFB, Florida
Oct 09 Oct 10 Commander, Special Operations Command & Control Element, Democratic Republic of Congo
Oct 07 Sep 09 Deputy Commander/ Chief of Staff, Special Operations Detachment - Central, MacDill AFB, Florida
Apr 07 Oct 07 Commander, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Camp Blanding, Starke, Florida
Aug 06 Apr 07 Commander, Special Operations Task Force – North, Taji, Iraq
Dec 03 Aug 06 Commander, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Camp Blanding, Starke, Florida
May 03 Nov 03 Readiness Management Officer, 83rd Troop Command, Tallahassee, Florida
Sep 02 May 03 Director of Operations, Combined Task Force Fervent Archer, Sarajevo, Bosnia
Sep 01 Sep 02 Executive Officer, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Camp Blanding, Starke, Florida and Afghanistan
Sep 97 Aug 01 Commander, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ocala, Florida
Sep 96 Aug 97 Executive Officer, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ocala, Florida
Sep 95 Aug 96 Detachment Commander, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Brooksville, Florida
Dec 94 Aug 95 Assistant Battalion Operations Officer, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Starke, Florida
Sep 94 Dec 94 Executive Officer, Company D, 1st Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Camp Buckley, Washington
Jan 94 Aug 94 Battalion Assistant S-3, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Lewis, Washington
Sep 93 Jan 94 Commander, Headquarters Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Lewis, Washington
Sep 92 Sep 93 Company Commander, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Lewis, Washington
Jan 91 Sep 92 Special Forces Detachment Commander, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Lewis, Washington
Dec 89 Jan 91 Special Forces Operational Detachment Commander, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Lewis, Washington
Sep 88 Dec 89 Student, Special Forces Qualification Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Jul 87 Sep 88 Battery Fire Direction Officer, C Battery, 6th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Fort Lewis, Washington
Feb 87 Jul 87 Company Fire Support Officer, Headquarters Battery, 6th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery, Fort Lewis, Washington
Mar 86 Feb 87 Fire Support Team Chief, Headquarters Battery, 6th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery, Fort Lewis, Washington
May 85 Mar 86 Student, Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, Airborne Course, Infantry Mortar Platoon Officer Course, Fort Benning, GA

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Deputy Commanding General, Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), USCENTCOM, Tampa, Florida Nov 15 - May 18 Brigadier General
Commander, Special Operations Command & Control Element, Democratic Republic of Congo Oct 09 - Oct 10 Colonel
Commander, Special Operations Task Force – North, Taji, Iraq Aug 06 - Apr 07 Lieutenant Colonel
Director of Operations, Combined Task Force Fervent Archer, Sarajevo, Bosnia Sep 02 - May 03 Major

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Commander, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Africa May 18 - Jul 19 Major General
Commander, Special Operations Command & Control Element, Democratic Republic of Congo Oct 09 - Oct 10 Colonel
Commander, Special Operations Task Force – North, Taji, Iraq Aug 06 - Apr 07 Lieutenant Colonel
Director of Operations, Combined Task Force Fervent Archer, Sarajevo, Bosnia Sep 02 - May 03 Major
Executive Officer, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Afghanistan Jan 02 - Sep 02 Major

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Defense Meritorious Service Meal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Iraq Campaign Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 1 Bronze Hour Glass Device, "M" Device with Numeral 2)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon (with the Numeral 3)
Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (with the Numeral 2)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Expert Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Special Forces Tab
Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
Special Operations Combat Diver Supervisor Badge
Special Operations Combat Diver Badge
Royal Thai Army Airborne Wings
Brazilian Parachutist Badge
Jordanian Parachutist Badge

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Association of the United States Army (AUSA)
National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS)
National Guard Officers Association – Florida (NGOA-FL)
National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA)

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2008 Award of Valor, Orlando Police Department, Orlando, Florida
2014 The Order of Saint Philip Neri Bronze Order
2013-2015 Chairman, Army National Guard Special Operations Advisory Committee (SOFAC)

 

 

As of: 9 Jan 20

 

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