Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command
Lieutenant General H Steven Blum served as Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command. General Blum was the first National Guard officer to serve as a Deputy Combatant Commander.
General Blum previously served as Chief, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia. As Chief, he was the senior uniformed National Guard officer responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating all policies, programs and plans affecting more than half a million Army and Air National Guard personnel. Appointed by the President, he served as the principal adviser to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Army, and the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force on all National Guard issues. As National Guard Bureau Chief, he served as the Army's and Air Force's official channel of communication with the Governors and Adjutants General.
General Blum received his commission from Officer Candidate School on August 28, 1971. He has commanded at every level to include a Special Forces Operational Detachment-A, a Light Infantry Battalion and an Infantry Brigade, and a Division Support Command. Prior to commanding the 29th Infantry Division (Light), General Blum served as Assistant Adjutant General for Army, Commanding General, Maryland Army National Guard, and Assistant Division Commander (Support), 29th Infantry Division (Light). General Blum served as the Commanding General for Multinational Division (North) Stabilization Force 10 in Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia Herzegovina.
1968 University of Baltimore, Bachelor of Arts, History, Baltimore, Maryland
1973 Morgan State College, Master of Science, Social Science, Baltimore, Maryland
1989 U.S. Army War College, by correspondence
1. August 1971 - September 1972, S-3, Detachment B3, Company B, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Maryland Army National Guard
2. October 1972 - August 1974, Air Operations Officer, Headquarters Detachment, 5th Special Forces Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, Maryland Army National Guard
3. August 1974 - August 1976, Battalion S-2, Headquarters Detachment, 5th Special Forces Battalion, 20th Special Forces, Maryland Army National Guard
4. September 1976 - November 1977, Recruiting and Retention Officer, Headquarters Detachment, Maryland Army National Guard
5. November 1977 - August 1978, Commander, Special Forces Operations Detachment-A, Company B, 5th Special Forces Battalion, 20th Special Forces, Maryland Army National Guard
6. September 1978 - October 1978, Recruiting and Retention Officer, Headquarters Detachment, Maryland Army National Guard
7. October 1978 - June 1981, Special Forces Operations Officer, Command and Control, Headquarters, Maryland Army National Guard
8. July 1981 - September 1981, Marksmanship Program Administrator, Headquarters Detachment, Maryland Army National Guard
9. October 1981 - September 1982, Training Administrator, Headquarters Detachment, Maryland Army National Guard
10. October 1982 - November 1984, Director Plans, Operations and Training, Headquarters, State Area Command, Maryland Army National Guard
11. December 1984 - July 1985, Mobilization Operations Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Maryland Army National Guard
12. August 1985 - September 1987, Battalion Commander, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 115th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard
13. October 1987 - October 1988, Executive Officer, Headquarters, 3rd Brigade, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard
14. November 1988 - January 1989, Operations and Training Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Maryland Army National Guard
15. January 1989 - August 1992, Director, Plans, Operations, and Training, Headquarters, Maryland Army National Guard
16. September 1992 - July 1995, Commander, 3rd Brigade, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard
17. July 1995 - August 1996, Commander, Division Support Command, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard
18. August 1996 - July 1999, Assistant Division Commander, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard
19. August 1999 - October 2001, Commanding General, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Virginia Army National Guard
20. October 2001 - April 2002, Commanding General, Multi National Division (North), Stabilization Force 10, Operation Joint Force, Bosnia and Herzegovina
21. April 2002 - August 2002, Commanding General, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Virginia Army National Guard
22. August 2002 - April 2003, Chief of Staff, United States Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
23. April 2003 - November 2008, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Arlington,
Virginia
24. November 2008 - May 2010, Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command,
Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with "M" Device and Gold Hourglass)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon
NATO Medal
Special Forces Tab
Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Expert Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge
Canadian Parachutist Badge
2nd Lieutenant ARNG 28 August 1971
1st Lieutenant ARNG 28 August 1972
Captain ARNG 3 September 1974
Major ARNG 8 September 1978
Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 1 October 1982
Colonel ARNG 3 January 1989
Brigadier General (LINE) ARNG 1 August 1996
Major General (LINE) ARNG 1 February 2000
Lieutenant General (LINE) ARNG 13 April 2003
(Current as of June 2016)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.