GENERAL OFFICER ANNOUNCEMENT
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld announced today that the president has nominated Army National Guard Maj. Gen. H. Steven Blum for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general with assignment as the chief of the National Guard Bureau. Blum is currently serving as the Chief of Staff for Headquarters U.S. Northern Command and Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Latest Available Bio:
Major General H Steven Blum is the Chief of Staff (dual-hatted) for Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Headquarters United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM). As Chief of Staff, he is responsible to coordinate and direct a Joint NORTHCOM staff in order to deter, prevent and defeat threats and aggression aimed at the United States and its territories and interests within Northern Command’s assigned areas of responsibility. Additional duties involve coordinating and directing military assistance to civil authorities, including civil support and consequence management operations when authorized by the Secretary of Defense or President of the United States.
The General has commanded at every level to include a Special Forces Operational Detachment-A, a Light Infantry Battalion, a Light Infantry Brigade Task Force and a Division Support Command. MG Blum has served as Assistant Adjutant General for Army Commanding General Maryland Army National Guard, Assistant Division Commander (Support), 29th Infantry Division Light. MG Blum served as the Commanding General, 29th Infantry Division (Light) and 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 - Sep 01, Commanding General, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Virginia Army National Guard
20. Sep 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 - Present, Chief of Staff, HQ United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Command (dual-hatted), Peterson AFB Colorado
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 Expedition 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
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
2LT ARNG 28 AUG 71
1LT ARNG 28 AUG 72
CPT ARNG 3 SEP 74
MAJ ARNG 8 SEP 78
LTC ARNG 1 OCT 82
COL ARNG 3 JAN 89
BG (LINE) ARNG 1 AUG 96
MG (LINE) ARNG 1 FEB 00
(Current as of October 2002)