Jon A. Jensen Explained

Jon A. Jensen
Birth Place:Council Bluffs, Iowa
Allegiance:United States
Branch:
Serviceyears: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: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:Cindy A. Schmid (m. 1992)[1] [2]
Children:3

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]

Education

Jensen 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

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.[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

Army Distinguished Service Medal
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 Expeditionary Medal
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 with service star

Publications

References

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Notes and References

  1. News: August 23, 1992 . Wedding, Schmid/Jensen . . Omaha, NE . 8-E . Newspapers.com.
  2. Web site: Biography, Jon A. Jensen . May 19, 2014 . Lewis Central High School Hall of Fame . Lewis Central Education Foundation . May 8, 2023.
  3. Web site: LTG Jon A. Jensen assumes duties as the 22nd Director of the Army National Guard . 10 August 2020 . The National Guard . 11 August 2020.
  4. Web site: Goheen . John . 2024-07-02 . Time Running Out to Fill Top NGB Vacancies . 2024-07-07 . National Guard Association of the United States.
  5. Web site: Minnesota has a new leader for the National Guard: Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen. Rachel E. . Stassen-Berger . Pioneer Press. 30 August 2017. 29 May 2020.
  6. Web site: Top National Guard general defends punishment of commander who exploited soldiers for sex. 25 April 2019. KSTP. en. 29 May 2020. 9 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201209144633/https://kstp.com/news/top-general-minnesota-national-guard-defends-punishment-commander-exploited-soldiers-sex/5330611/. dead.
  7. Web site: Rosemount leader sworn in to lead Minnesota National Guard . Kara . Hildreth . 13 November 2017 . RiverTowns. 29 May 2020.
  8. Web site: Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen to speak at Military Appreciation Dinner Jan. 16 . hometownsource.com. 5 January 2020 . 29 May 2020.
  9. Web site: National Guard Biography . www.nationalguard.mil. 29 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200529132100/https://www.nationalguard.mil/portals/31/Features/ngbgomo/bio/2/2566.html . 29 May 2020.
  10. Web site: Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve > News & Events > ESGR in the News.
  11. Web site: New assignment for brigadier general from Apple Valley. Andrew. Miller. hometownsource.com. 2 November 2015 . 29 May 2020.
  12. Book: '82 Titan . 1982 . Lewis Central High School . Council Bluffs, Iowa.
  13. Web site: MLt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen is new Army National Guard director. Kyle . Key . 11 August 2020. 6 February 2021.