Brigadier General Leon M. "Mike" Bridges

Assistant Adjutant General-Army, Alaska Army National Guard

Brigadier General Leon M. Bridges currently serves as the Assistant Adjutant General-Army, Alaska Army National Guard and also serves as the Commander, Alaska Army National Guard.

Brigadier General Bridges received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Oregon Army National Guard after graduating from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Prior to receiving his commission he was an enlisted Soldier in the Oregon Army National Guard. Brigadier General Bridges served in the Washington Army National Guard from 1983-1986 as an officer in a mechanized infantry unit. He transferred to the Alaska Army National Guard in 1986. Brigadier General Bridges’ previous position was the J4/G4/Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Alaska Army National Guard.

Education:

1993 Wayland Baptist University, Bachelor of Science, Occupational Education, Anchorage, Alaska
1996 University of La Verne, Master of Science, Business Organizational Management, La Verne, California
2005 US Army War College, Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania

Assignments:

December 1981 – December 1982, Platoon Leader, Company C, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry, 41st Infantry Brigade, Oregon Army National Guard, Roseburg, Oregon
February 1983 – August 1984, Platoon Leader, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry (Mechanized) Washington Army National Guard, Kent, Washington
August 1984 – July 1985 , Company Executive Officer, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry (Mechanized), Washington Army National Guard, Kent, Washington
July 1985 – April 1986, Anti-Tank Platoon Leader, CSC Company, 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry, Washington Army National Guard, Puyallup, Washington
April 1986 – July 1987, Scout Platoon Leader, Company A, 5th Battalion, 297th Infantry (Scout), Alaska Army National Guard, Kenai, Alaska
July 1987 – April 1989, Company Executive Officer, Company A, 5th Battalion, 297th Infantry (Scout), Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
April 1989 – July 1991, Battalion S1, 5th Battalion, 297th Infantry (Scout), Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
July 1991 – December 1991, Battalion S3-Air, 5th Battalion, 297th Infantry (Scout), Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
December 1991 – September 1992, Battalion S4, 5th Battalion, 297th Infantry (Scout), Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
September 1992 – April 1993, Battalion S3, 5th Battalion, 297th Infantry (Scout), Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
April 1993 – January 1994, Battalion Executive Officer, 5th Battalion, 297th Infantry (Scout), Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
January 1994 – November 1995, Commander, Headquarters Detachment, State Area Command, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
November 1995 – September 1998, Mobilization Planner, Director of Plans, Training and Mobilization, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
September 1998 – January 1999, Executive Officer to The Adjutant General, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
January 1999 – July 1999, Operations Officer, Director of Plans, Training and Mobilization, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
August 1999 – June 2001, State Recruiting and Retention Manager, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
June 2001 – September 2001, Chief, Mobilization and Readiness/Detailed DCSPER pending Command Assignment and Permanent Change of Station, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
September 2001 – April 2004, Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion (Scout), 297th Infantry, Alaska Army National Guard, Nome, Alaska
April 2004 – April 2007, Deputy Commander, 297th Infantry Group (Scout), Alaska Army National Guard, Fort Richardson, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
April 2007 – April 2008, Deputy Team Leader and Governance Advisor, Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team, Baghdad Five, Attached to First Brigade Combat Team, First Cavalry Division and then Second Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Iraq
June 2008 – April 2009, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and G4, Joint Forces Headquarters-Army Element, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
April 2009 – January 2012, J4/G4/Director of Logistics, Joint Forces Headquarters-Army Element, Alaska Army National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska
January 2012 – Present, Assistant Adjutant General – Army, Alaska National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska

Major Awards and Decorations:

Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Commendation Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Achievement Medal
United States Department of State Superior Honor Award
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star
Armed Forces Reserve Achievement Medal Gold Hourglass Device and ‘M’ Device
Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Overseas Service Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon with Numeral 2
Army National Guard Basic Recruiter Badge
Army Excellence In Competition Medal (Pistol)
Alaska Commendation Medal
Alaska Domestic Emergency Relief Ribbon
Alaska State Service Medal
Alaska Marksmanship Medal (x 2)
Alaska Cold War Service Victory Ribbon
Washington Service Ribbon

Other Acheivements:

2003 Centurion-Level Member of the Order of Saint Maurice with the National Infantry Association
2011 US Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame Inductee

Effective Dates of Promotion:

Second Lieutenant - 03 December 1981
First Lieutenant - 02 December 1984
Captain - 12 August 1988
Major - 15 October 1992
Lieutenant Colonel - 01 January 2000
Colonel - 01 February 2006
Brigadier General - 03 January 2012

(Current as of April 2012)