National Guard
Brigadier General MATTHEW A. VALAS
  
Commander/Senior Military Representative, NATO Headquarters
United States European Command
Sarajevo, APO AE
Since: May 2024
 Official Photo
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE  ROTC

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
Hofstra University - BBA - Business Administration
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies

MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
Infantry Officer Basic Course
Field Artillery Captain's Career Course
United States Army Command and General Staff College
United States Army War College

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(S)  None Recorded

PROMOTIONS DATE OF APPOINTMENT
2LT 21 May 98
1LT 30 Nov 99
CPT 1 Dec 01
MAJ 30 May 08
LTC 20 Nov 14
COL 20 Jul 20
BG 3 May 24

FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
May 24 Present Commander/Senior Military Representative, NATO Headquarters, United States European Command, Sarajevo, APO AE
May 24 May 24 Special Assistant to Chief, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
Aug 20 May 24 Commander, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Alabama
Aug 19 Aug 20 Deputy Commander, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Alabama
Jun 19 Aug 19 Policy Director, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Defense Pentagon, District of Columbia
Aug 17 Aug 19 Policy Advisor, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Defense Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
May 15 Aug 17 Commander, 1st Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Payne, Alabama and Operation SPARTAN SHIELD, Manama, Bahrain
Nov 14 May 15 Group Operations Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Alabama
Sep 14 Nov 14 State Training Officer, Joint Force Headquarters-Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama
Jun 13 Sep 14 Executive Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-167 Infantry, Talladega, Alabama
May 12 Jun 13 Executive Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 1/20 Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Alabama
Jan 10 May 12 Commander, A Company, 1/20 Special Forces Group (Airborne), Auburn, Alabama and Operation NEW DAWN, Kirkuk, Iraq
Aug 08 Jan 10 Group Operations Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Alabama
May 07 Aug 08 Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha Commander, 2116, A Company, 1/20 Special Forces Group (Airborne), Auburn, Alabama and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Kandahar, Afghanistan
May 06 May 07 Assistant Operations Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Alabama
Jan 05 May 06 Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha Commander, 2034 C Company, 1/20 Special Forces Group (Airborne), Springfield, Massachusetts
Oct 03 Jan 05 Student, A Company, 4th Battalion 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Jun 03 Oct 03 Student, Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Aug 02 Jun 03 Student, A Company, 4th Battalion 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina
May 02 Aug 02 Training Detachment, C Company, 1/20 Special Forces Group (Airborne), Springfield, Massachusetts
Mar 02 May 02 Logistics Officer (S4), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2-87 Infantry 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York
Mar 00 Mar 02 Support Platoon Leader, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2-87 Infantry 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York and Multinational Forces and Observers, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Nov 98 Mar 00 Rifle Platoon Leader, C Company, 2-87 Infantry 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York and OPERATION JOINT FORGE (SFOR6), Brcko, Bosnia-Herzegovina
May 98 Nov 98 Student, Infantry Officer Basic Course, Fort Benning, Georgia

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Commander, 1st Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Operation SPARTAN SHIELD, Manama, Bahrain Jan 17 - Jun 17 Lieutenant Colonel
Commander, A Company, 1/20 Special Forces Group (Airborne), Operation NEW DAWN, Kirkuk, Iraq Mar 11 - Dec 11 Major
Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha Commander, 2116, A Company, 1/20 Special Forces Group (Airborne), Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Kandahar, Afghanistan Nov 07 - May 08 Captain
Support Platoon Leader, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2-87 Infantry 10th Mountain Division, and Multinational Forces and Observers, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt Jul 01 - Jan 02 Captain
Rifle Platoon Leader, C Company, 2-87 Infantry 10th Mountain Division, Operation JOINT FORGE, Brcko, Bosnia-Herzegovina Sep 99 - Mar 00 First Lieutenant

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism-Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism-Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Bronze Hourglass and M Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
Multinational Force and Observers Medal
Master Combat Infantryman Badge
Special Forces Tab​
Ranger Tab
Senior Parachutist Badge

 

 

As of: 11 Jul 25

 

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