Lieutenant General H Steven Blum
Chief, National Guard Bureau

Lieutenant General H Steven Blum serves as Chief, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va. As Chief, he is 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 serves 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 NGB Chief, he serves as the Army's and Air Force's official channel of communication with the Governors and Adjutants General. Prior to his current assignment, General Blum served as Chief of Staff, United States Northern Command.

General Blum 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) SFOR-10 in Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia Herzegovina.

EDUCATION:

1968 University of Baltimore - BA Degree - History
1973 Morgan State College - MS Degree - Social Science
1989 Army War College

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Aug 71 - Sep 72, S-3, Detachment B3, Company B, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Maryland Army National Guard

2. Oct 72 - Aug 74, Air Operations Officer, Headquarters Detachment, 5th Special Forces Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, Maryland Army National Guard

3. Aug 74 - Aug 76, Battalion S-2, Headquarters Detachment, 5th Special Forces Battalion, 20th Special Forces, Maryland Army National Guard

4. Sep 76 - Nov 77, Recruiting and Retention Officer, Headquarters Detachment, Maryland Army National Guard

5. Nov 77 - Aug 78, Commander, Special Forces Operations Detachment-A, Company B, 5th Special Forces Battalion, 20th Special Forces, Maryland Army National Guard

6. Sep 78 - Oct 78, Recruiting and Retention Officer, Headquarters Detachment, Maryland Army National Guard

7. Oct 78 - Jun 81, Special Forces Operations Officer, Command and Control, Headquarters, Maryland Army National Guard

8. Jul 81 - Sep 81, Marksmanship Program Administrator, Headquarters Detachment, Maryland Army National Guard

9. Oct 81 - Sep 82, Training Administrator, Headquarters Detachment, Maryland Army National Guard

10. Oct 82 - Nov 84, Director Plans, Operations and Training, Headquarters, State Area Command, Maryland Army National Guard

11. Dec 84 - Jul 85, Mobilization Operations Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Maryland Army National Guard

12. Aug 85 - Sep 87, Battalion Commander, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 115th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard

13. Oct 87 - Oct 88, Executive Officer, Headquarters, 3rd Brigade, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard

14. Nov 88 - Jan 89, Operations and Training Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Maryland Army National Guard

15. Jan 89 - Aug 92, Director, Plans, Operations, and Training, Headquarters, Maryland Army National Guard

16. Sep 92 - Jul 95, Commander, 3rd Brigade, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard

17. Jul 95 - Aug 96, Commander, Division Support Command, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard

18. Aug 96 - Jul 99, Assistant Division Commander, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Maryland Army National Guard

19. Aug 99 - Oct 01, Commanding General, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Virginia Army National Guard

20. Oct 01 - Apr 02, Commanding General, Multi National Division (North), SFOR-10, Operation Joint Force, Bosnia and Herzegovina

21. Apr 02 - Aug 02, Commanding General, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Virginia Army National Guard

22. Aug 02 - Apr 03, Chief of Staff, United States Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

23. Apr 03 - Present, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit (with 2 bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
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 Device)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with "M" Device and gold Hourglass Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon
NATO Medal
Special Forces Tab
Expert Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge
Canadian Parachutist Badge

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