Brig. Gen. Tucker retires from Va. Guard -- Sept. 10, 2011

Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., Adjutant General of Virginia, awarded Brig. Gen. Robert L. Tucker the Legion of Merit Sept. 10 during a retirement ceremony at Fort Pickett, Va. Tucker joined the Virginia Army National Guard November 10, 1972 as an enlisted Soldier. He was commissioned through the Virginia Army National Guard Officer Candidate Program on July 27, 1979, Class 21. He has served in command positions from battery through brigade level. In his last command assignment, the general served as the commander of the 54th Field Artillery Brigade. When the 54th Brigade Headquarters was mobilized in February 2004 he served as mobile liaison team executive officer in Kabul, Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom from May 2004 through April 2005.

From September 2005 – December 2007, Commander, 54th Field Artillery Brigade, Virginia Beach, Virginia. In January 2008 – February 2009, Effects Coordinator, 29th Tactical Command Post, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Sandston, Virginia April 2009- Present, Director of Interagency Operations. Virginia National Guard.

EDUCATION:

2003- Liberty University, Bachelor of Science, Multidisciplinary Studies, Lynchburg, Virginia
2007 US Army War College, distance education, Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
1995 Command and General Staff College, by correspondence, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

ASSIGNMENTS:

July 1979 - January 1981, Fire Support Team Chief, Headquarters/Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 246 Field Artillery Danville, Virginia

January 1981 – August 1984, Fire Direction Officer, Battery C, 1st Battalion, 246 Field Artillery, South Boston, Virginia

September 1984 – July 1985, Battery Executive Officer, Battery C, 1st Battalion, 246 Field Artillery, South Boston, Virginia

August 1985 – August 1987, Fire Direction Officer, Headquarters/Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 246 Field Artillery, Danville, Virginia

Sep 1987- Mar 1991, Battery Commander, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 246 Field Artillery, Chatham, Virginia

Apr 1991-Apr 1992, S-4, Headquarters/Headquarters Service, 1st Battalion, 246 Field Artillery, Danville, Virginia

May 1992-March 1996, Brigade Fire Support Officer, Headquarters/ Headquarters Service, 1st Battalion, 246 Field Artillery, Danville, Virginia

April 1996-March 1997, Battalion Executive Officer, Headquarters/Headquarters Service Battery, 1st Battalion, 246 Field Artillery, Danville, Virginia

Apr 1997- May 1999, Assistant Fire Support Coordinator, Headquarters/ Headquarters Battery, 29th Infantry Division Artillery, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Sandston, Virginia

June1999- July 1999, Deputy Fire Support Officer, 29th Division Artillery, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Sandston, Virginia

August 1999-March 2001, Commander, 1st Battalion, 246th Field Artillery Danville, Virginia

April 2001-June 2002, Commander, 2ndt Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Petersburg, Virginia

July 2002 - March 2003, Executive Officer, 54th Field Artillery Brigade, Virginia Beach, Virginia

March 2003 – February 2004, Army Liaison Officer, Air National Guard Security Forces, Operation Enduring Freedom, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia

May 2004 – April 2005, Mobile Liaison Team Executive Officer, Combined Forces Command, Operation Enduring Freedom, Kabul, Afghanistan

September 2005 – December 2007, Commander, 54th Field Artillery Brigade, Virginia Beach, Virginia

January 2008 – February 2009, Effects Coordinator, 29th Tactical Command Post, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Sandston, Virginia

February 2009- November 2010 Joint Task Force Commander, Joint Force Headquarters, Virginia National Guard, Blackstone, Virginia

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal (3 Award)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (2 Award)
National Defense Service Ribbon (2 Award)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Award
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (4 Award) with “M” device
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
NATO Medal (International Security Assistance Force)
Virginia National Guard Service Ribbon (8 Award)
Virginia National Guard Perfect Attendance Ribbon
Joint Meritorious Unit Award

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Social Studies Teacher, Bluestone Middle School, Skipwith, VA

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant, ARNG, 27 July 1979
First Lieutenant, ARNG, 26 July 1982
Captain, ARNG, 11 September 1985
Major, ARNG, 18 November 1992
Lieutenant Colonel, ARNG, 8 October 1999
Colonel, ARNG, 4 July 2004
Brigadier General, ARNG, 17 April 2009