Jon A. Jensen (born 1963) is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army. He served as the 22nd director of the Army National Guard from 2020 to 2024, and as the acting vice chief of the National Guard Bureau from May to August 2024.[3][4] He previously served as the adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard from November 2017 to August 2020.[5][6][7][8][9][10] 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.[11]
Jon A. Jensen | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Born | 1963 (age 60–61) Council Bluffs, Iowa |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | |
| Years of service | 1982–2024 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | 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 A. Schmid (m. 1992)[1][2] |
| Children | 3[2] |
Education
editJensen attended Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa, graduating in 1982.[12] He is a 1986 graduate of Northwest Missouri State University.[13] Jensen 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.[9]
Military career
editJensen 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.[11] 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.[9]
Awards and decorations
edit
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National Guard Bureau Organizational Badge |
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34th Infantry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia |
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135th Infantry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia |
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2 Overseas Service Bars |
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Army Distinguished Service Medal |
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Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster |
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Bronze Star Medal |
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Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters |
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Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters |
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Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters |
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Army Meritorious Unit Commendation with oak leaf cluster |
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Superior Unit Award |
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Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with silver oak leaf cluster |
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National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star |
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Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star |
 
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Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars |
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Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |
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Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
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Humanitarian Service Medal |
   
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Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver Hourglass device, "M" device and bronze award numeral 3 |
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NCO Professional Development Ribbon |
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Army Service Ribbon |
 
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Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 2 |
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Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon with award numeral 3 |
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NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia with service star |
Publications
edit- 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 (PDF) from the original on 29 May 2020.
References
edit- ^ "Wedding, Schmid/Jensen". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, NE. 23 August 1992. p. 8-E – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Biography, Jon A. Jensen". Lewis Central High School Hall of Fame. Lewis Central Education Foundation. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ "LTG Jon A. Jensen assumes duties as the 22nd Director of the Army National Guard". The National Guard. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ Goheen, John (2 July 2024). "Time Running Out to Fill Top NGB Vacancies". National Guard Association of the United States. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (30 August 2017). "Minnesota has a new leader for the National Guard: Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen". Pioneer Press. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "Top National Guard general defends punishment of commander who exploited soldiers for sex". KSTP. 25 April 2019. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ Hildreth, Kara (13 November 2017). "Rosemount leader sworn in to lead Minnesota National Guard". RiverTowns. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen to speak at Military Appreciation Dinner Jan. 16". hometownsource.com. 5 January 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ a b c "National Guard Biography". www.nationalguard.mil. Archived from the original on 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve > News & Events > ESGR in the News".
- ^ a b Miller, Andrew (2 November 2015). "New assignment for brigadier general from Apple Valley". hometownsource.com. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ '82 Titan. Council Bluffs, Iowa: Lewis Central High School. 1982.
- ^ Key, Kyle (11 August 2020). "MLt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen is new Army National Guard director". Retrieved 6 February 2021.