Jon A. Jensen
Jon A. Jensen (born 1963) is a lieutenant general in the United States Army. He currently serves as the 22nd director of the Army National Guard.[2] He previously served as the adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard from November 2017 to August 2020.[3][4][5][6][7][8] Prior to that, he was assigned as commanding general of the 34th Infantry Division from January 2017 to October 2017 and as deputy commanding general for United States Army Africa from 2015 to 2017.[9] He assumed his current assignment on August 10, 2020,[10][2] with an effective date of rank of August 3, 2020.[11]
Jon A. Jensen | |
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Jensen as Director of the Army National Guard in 2020 | |
Born | 1963 (age 57–58) Council Bluffs, Iowa |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1982–present |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Commands held | Army National Guard Minnesota National Guard 34th Infantry Division 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry |
Battles/wars | Operation Desert Spring Operation Joint Forge Iraq War |
Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal |
Alma mater | Northwest Missouri State University (BS, 1986) |
Spouse(s) | Cindy |
Children | Jake, Atlee, and Kealey[1] |
Education
Jensen is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University. He later earned master's degrees from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.[7]
Military career
Jensen enlisted into the Iowa Army National Guard as a Private (PV1) combat medic in November 1982. He served for six and a half years and reached the rank of Staff Sergeant before attending the Army's Officer Candidate School, and received his commission upon graduation in 1989.[9] As a second lieutenant, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 168th Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division. He was deployed to Kuwait in 2001, Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2003 as a major and Iraq in 2007 as a lieutenant colonel and in 2009 as colonel for a second deployment to Iraq.[7]
Awards and decorations
National Guard Bureau Organizational Badge | |
34th Infantry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia | |
135th Infantry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
2 Overseas Service Bars |
Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster | |
Bronze Star Medal | |
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters | |
Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters | |
Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters | |
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation with oak leaf cluster | |
Superior Unit Award | |
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with silver oak leaf cluster | |
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star | |
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star | |
Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars | |
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | |
Humanitarian Service Medal | |
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver Hourglass device, "M" device and bronze award numeral 3 | |
NCO Professional Development Ribbon | |
Army Service Ribbon | |
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 2 | |
Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon with award numeral 3 | |
NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia |
Publications
- Jensen, Jon A. (2002). The Effect of Operational Deployments on Army Reserve Component Attrition Rates and its Strategic Implications: A Monograph (PDF). Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: School of Advanced Military Studies, United States Army Command and General Staff College. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-05-29.
References
- Key, Kyle (August 11, 2020). "MLt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen is new Army National Guard director". Retrieved Nov 9, 2020.
- "LTG Jon A. Jensen assumes duties as the 22nd Director of the Army National Guard". The National Guard. August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (August 30, 2017). "Minnesota has a new leader for the National Guard: Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen". Pioneer Press. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
- "Top National Guard general defends punishment of commander who exploited soldiers for sex". KSTP. 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
- Hildreth, Kara (November 13, 2017). "Rosemount leader sworn in to lead Minnesota National Guard". RiverTowns. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
- "Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen to speak at Military Appreciation Dinner Jan. 16". hometownsource.com. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
- "National Guard Biography". www.nationalguard.mil. Archived from the original on 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
- https://esgr.mil/News-Events/ESGR-In-The-News/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9019/Minnesota-National-Guard-Adjutant-General-honored-with-Seven-Seals-Award
- Miller, Andrew. "New assignment for brigadier general from Apple Valley". hometownsource.com. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
- Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen is the Army National Guard director
- nationalguard.mil – Director, Army National Guard, Lieutenant General Jon A. Jensen