BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM C. BILO

Retired effective Jun 17, 1999

Brigadier General William (Bill) C. Bilo became the Deputy Director of the Army National Guard at National Guard Bureau in Washington, DC on September 16, 1993. As the Deputy Director, he assists the Director, Army National Guard, in formulating, developing and coordinating all programs, policies, and plans effecting the Army National Guard and its more than 400,000 citizen soldiers.

In addition to earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, he also holds a Master's Degree in Business and Public Administration from Southeastern University in Washington, DC. His military education includes the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course, the Ordnance Advanced Course, the Command and General Staff College, the National Security Management Course of the National Defense University (Distinguished Graduate), and the Army War College.

His military career began when he enlisted in the United States Army in 1964. General Bilo was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on December 17, 1965, after graduating from the Artillery and Missile Officer Candidate School (OCS), Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He served as a Pershing Instructor in the Artillery and Missile School and was later assigned as a Tac Officer at the Artillery OCS, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was then reassigned to Germany and served as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer for Battery "C", 4th Battalion, 41st Artillery and as the Battery Commander of Battery "B", 4th Battalion, 41st Artillery (Pershing). He had two combat commands in Vietnam, serving first as Commander of Battery "B", 77th Artillery, and then as Commander of Service Battery, 30th Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division.

General Bilo was voluntarily released from Active Duty in August 1972 and has served in many Command and Staff Positions in the Oklahoma, Virginia, and Maryland Army National Guard. He served as the Brigade Executive Officer for the 58th Infantry Brigade of the Maryland Army National Guard and later as the Director of Personnel, Headquarters, State Area Command, Maryland Army National Guard. He was selected to assist in the reactivation of the 29th Infantry Division, serving as the Division's Chief of Staff from 1984 to 1987. General Bilo served as the Chief of Staff, Maryland Army National Guard, and in 1992, was selected to serve as the Commander, Division Support Command (DISCOM), 29th Infantry Division, until his selection as the Deputy Director of the Army National Guard in September 1993.

His decorations include the Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters and "V" device, Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters and "V" device, Army Achievement Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Selective Service Meritorious Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star, Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze service stars, Armed Forces Reserve medal with one hourglass device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 1, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

The general's civic affiliations include the National Guard Association of the United States, National Guard Associations of Virginia and Maryland, Alumni Association of the US Army War College, Alumni Association Cameron College, Military Order of Foreign Wars, 29th Division Association, past Chapter Commander-Military Order of the World Wars, First Cavalry Division Association, Association of the United States Army, Reserve Officers Association, Field Artillery Association, Veterans of Foreign War, and Catholic War Veterans.

General Bilo was promoted to and federally recognized as a Brigadier General in November 1993.