BRIGADIER GENERAL RUSSELL L. PONDER
Retired
Brig. Gen. Russell L. Ponder was the Director of Logistics and Installations, National Guard Bureau NGB/A4, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He was responsible for a $4 billion dollar maintenance, logistics, engineering, force protection, and military construction budget while supporting 90 Air National Guard Wings and 188 Geographically Separated Units across the U.S. and territories.
He began his career as an enlisted member of the 136th Civil Engineering Squadron of the Texas ANG. After receiving his commission through the Academy of Military Science, he returned as a Civil Engineer Officer at the 136th. General Ponder’s previous assignment was Commander of the 145th Mission Support Group, North Carolina ANG. Throughout his career General Ponder has held a myriad of positions at the local, state, and national level. He served as the Executive Officer for the Director, ANG, and as the principal military advisor to Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska on matters of national security, homeland defense, military construction, and veteran’s affairs. He then advanced to the office of Legislative Liaison Affairs for the ANG. He returned to the Pentagon in 2011 and served as the Director, ANG Affairs, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Installations and as the ANG Advisor, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Legislative Liaison. In 2016 he held the position of Chief of the General Officer Management Office, National Guard Bureau.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University
1999 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2002 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2004 United States Senate, National Defense Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2008 Master of Science, National Security and Resource Strategy Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C.
2019 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC); Joint Base Andrews, Md. & Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
2020 National and International Security Leadership Seminar (NISLS), Washington DC
2020 Regional Seminar - Africa, Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1991 - February 1997, Civil Engineering Officer, 136th Civil Engineering Squadron, Texas Air National Guard (ANG), Hensley Field, NAS, Dallas, Texas
2. February 1997 - December 2001, State Civil Engineer, Headquarters ANG, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas
3. December 2001 - June 2001, Executive Officer to the Chief Operations Officer ANG, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
4. June 2002 - October 2003, Travel Executive Officer to the Director ANG, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
5. October 2003 - January 2005, National Defense Fellow, Senator Benjamin Nelson-Nebraska, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.
6. January 2005 - April 2006, Legislative Liaison, ANG, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
7. April 2006 - June 2007, Executive Officer to the Director, ANG, National Guard Bureau, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8. June 2007 - July 2008, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
9. July 2008 - March 2009, Installation Programmer, A7A, ANG Readiness Center, Andrews AFB, Md.
10. March 2009 - December 2010, Commander/Base Civil Engineer, 145th Civil Engineering Sq., North Carolina ANG, Charlotte, N.C.
11. December 2010 - November 2011, Director, ANG Affairs, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Installations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
12. December 2011 - February 2013, ANG Advisor, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Legislative Liaison, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
13. March 2013 - March 2016, Chief, General Officer Management Office, National Guard Bureau, Pentagon, Washington, D.C
14. April 2016 - September 2017, Commander of 145th Mission Support Group, North Carolina ANG, Charlotte, N.C.
15. October 2017 - April 2018, Senior Advisor to the First Deputy of the Minister of Defense, Resolute Support Headquarters, Afghanistan
16. May 2018 - April 2021, Director, Logistics and Installations (NGB A-4/7), Joint Base Andrews , MD
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 2011 - February 2013, ANG Advisor, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Legislative Liaison, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. as a Colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 Capitol Hill Fellowship Program with the United States Senate
2006 Georgetown University Government Affairs Institute Certificate in Legislative Studies
2014 Senior Manager Course in National Security Leadership, The George Washington University
2016 National Security Studies, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 21, 1991
First Lieutenant Dec. 16, 1993
Captain Jan. 6, 1996
Major Feb. 5, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel March 26, 2004
Colonel March 2, 2011
Brigadier General May 1, 2018
(Current as of May 2021)
