MAJOR GENERAL RAYMOND W. CARPENTER

Acting Director of the Army National Guard, National Guard Bureau

Major General Raymond W. Carpenter assumed duties as Acting Director, Army National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Washington, District of Columbia on May 29, 2009. As Acting Director, he guides the formulation, development and implementation of all programs and policies affecting the Army National Guard; a force of over 350,000 Soldiers in the 54 States, Territories and the District of Columbia.

General Carpenter began his military service when he enlisted in the South Dakota Army National Guard in May of 1967. He later joined the United States Navy where he attended the Defense Language Institute for 48 weeks to learn Vietnamese. His next assignment was at the Naval Support Activity in Danang, South Vietnam. Upon completion of his service in the United States Navy, he returned to the South Dakota Army National Guard where he was commissioned in 1974. He has commanded at all levels from Lieutenant to Colonel. In 1993, he became the Executive Officer of the 5,000 plus Soldier Task Force Rushmore which was a humanitarian mission in Panama building 27 kilometers of road and rebuilding 10 schools and 14 clinics. In July 1999, General Carpenter was awarded the Silver de Fleury Medal for his work at a national level in support of the Engineer branch. He was a founding member of the Director of the Army National Guard’s Engineer Advisory Team and went on to be the Chairman until May 2006. As the Chief of Staff and the Assistant Adjutant General for the South Dakota Army National Guard, he was engaged at the senior leader level in the largest mobilization of the South Dakota National Guard since World War II. General Carpenter served as the Deputy Commanding General for the Maneuver Support Center and had a number of duties including responsibility for overseeing Joint Training at Ft. Leonard Wood.

EDUCATION:

1975 Black Hills State College, Bachelor of Science, Business, Spearfish, South Dakota
1994 University of South Dakota, Master of Business Administration, Vermillion, South Dakota

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. July 1974 - August 1974, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, 842d Engineer Company, South Dakota Army National Guard, Belle Fourche, South Dakota
2. August 1974 - October 1974, Student, Engineer School, Engineer Officer Basic Course, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
3. October 1974 - June 1976, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, 842d Engineer Company, South Dakota Army National Guard, Belle Fourche, South Dakota
4. July 1976 - October 1978, Platoon Leader, Detachment 3, 842d Engineer Company, South Dakota Army National Guard, Deadwood, South Dakota
5. November 1978 - July 1982, Company Commander, 842d Engineer Company, South Dakota Army National Guard, Spearfish, South Dakota
6. August 1982 - April 1985, S-4, Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 109th Engineer Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard, Sturgis, South Dakota
7. April 1985 - July 1986, Executive Officer, Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 109th Engineer Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard, Sturgis, South Dakota
8. August 1986 - August 1987, S-3, Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 109th Engineer Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard, Sturgis, South Dakota
9. September 1987 - December 1989, Executive Officer, Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 109th Engineer Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard, Sturgis, South Dakota
10. January 1990 - August 1991, Chief Internal Review, Headquarters, State Area Command, South Dakota Army National Guard, Rapid City, South Dakota
11. August 1991 - September 1993, Facilities Management Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, South Dakota Army National Guard, Rapid City, South Dakota
12. September 1993 - June 1995, Battalion Commander, Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 109th Engineer Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard, Sturgis, South Dakota
13. July 1995 - June 1996, Director of Personnel, Headquarters, State Area Command, South Dakota Army National Guard, Rapid City, South Dakota
14. June 1996 - June 1997, Student, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
15. June 1997 - May 1998, Director of Human Resources, Headquarters, State Area Command, South Dakota Army National Guard Rapid City, South Dakota
16. May 1998 - June 1999, Group Commander, Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 109th Engineer Group, South Dakota Army National Guard, Rapid City, South Dakota
17. July 1999 - January 2000, Director of Plans, Operations and Training, Headquarters State Area Command, South Dakota National Guard, Rapid City, South Dakota
18. February 2000 - March 2003, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, State Area Command, South Dakota Army National Guard, Rapid City, South Dakota
19. April 2003 - April 2006, Assistant Adjutant General, South Dakota Army National Guard, Rapid City, South Dakota
20. September 2004 - April 2006, Dual-hatted as the Deputy Commanding General, Maneuver Support Center, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
21. April 2006 - April 2009, Special Assistant to the Director of the Army National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
22. April 2009 - May 2009, Acting Deputy Director, Army National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
23. May 2009 - Present, Acting Director, Army National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Achievement Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hour Glass Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 4)
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (with Silver Date Bar)
South Dakota Achievement Ribbon
South Dakota Distinguished Service Award
South Dakota Recruiting Medal
South Dakota Service Medal (with Service Device)
South Dakota Desert Storm Ribbon
South Dakota Distinguished Unit Award (with 1 Bronze oak Leaf Cluster)
South Dakota Unit Citation

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS:

Second Lieutenant ARNG 29 July 1974
First Lieutenant ARNG 28 July 1977
Captain ARNG 28 July 1979
Major ARNG 26 April 1985
Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 01 October 1990
Colonel ARNG 01 July 1995
Brigadier General ARNG 1 April 2003
Major General ARNG 9 December 2006

(Current as of July 2009)