Frank J. Grass
Official portrait, 2016
Born (1951-05-19) May 19, 1951 (age 73)
Arnold, Missouri, United States
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Army National Guard
Years of service1969–2016
RankGeneral
UnitNational Guard Bureau
CommandsChief of the National Guard Bureau
203rd Engineer Battalion
220th Engineer Company
Battles/warsWar on terror
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Defense Superior Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit

Frank J. Grass (born May 19, 1951) is a retired United States Army general who served as the 27th chief of the National Guard Bureau.

Early life and education

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A native of Arnold, Missouri,[1] Grass was born on May 19, 1951,[2][3][4] and graduated from Arnold's Fox High School in 1969.[5] He joined the Missouri Army National Guard in October 1969,[6] and served as an enlisted soldier and noncommissioned officer before graduating from Officer Candidate School in 1981 and receiving his commission as a second lieutenant in the Engineer Corps.[7]

Military career

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While serving as a traditional member of the Army National Guard, Grass pursued a civilian career with the United States Army Corps of Engineers.[8] Grass served in a variety of command and staff positions, first as a traditional Army Guardsman, and later as a member of the Active Guard and Reserve program and on active duty. His command assignments included the 220th Engineer Company (1986 to 1988) and the 203rd Engineer Battalion (1997 to 1999).[9]

After becoming a general officer in 2004, Grass' assignments included: Deputy Director, Army National Guard (2004 to 2006); Director, Mobilization and Reserve Component Affairs, Headquarters, United States European Command (2006 to 2008); Director of Operations, United States Northern Command (2008 to 2010); and Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command (2010 to 2012).[10]

In June 2012, Grass was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as Chief of the National Guard Bureau, with appointment to the rank of general in the reserves of the army. The appointment and promotion were confirmed by the United States Senate on July 26, 2012.[11] Grass formally took over the National Guard Bureau in a ceremony on September 7, 2012.[12][13] In 2016, the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Joseph L. Lengyel, was nominated to succeed Grass. Lengyel was promoted to general and completed a transfer of authority ceremony with Grass on August 3, 2016.[14]

Education

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Awards and decorations

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Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Defense Superior Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.
 Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Army Commendation Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Superior Unit Award
Silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
 National Defense Service Medal with 1 Bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with gold Hourglass device
Army NCO Professional Development Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 2
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon with Numeral 2
Danish Home Guard Meritorious Service Medal
Missouri Conspicuous Service Medal, Missouri National Guard
Washington Army National Guard Legion of Merit, State of Washington[16]

Other achievements

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Chronological list of officer assignments

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Effective dates of promotions

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Promotions
Insignia Rank Date
Second Lieutenant September 12, 1981
First Lieutenant April 19, 1983
Captain July 1, 1985
Major August 4, 1990
Lieutenant Colonel February 7, 1995
Colonel May 31, 2000
Brigadier General April 2, 2004
Major General June 22, 2006
Lieutenant General  September 30, 2010[20]
General  September 7, 2012

References

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  1. ^ Military Salute: Grass, Roth, Morse, Potter, Suburban Journals, St. Louis Today, October 19, 2010.
  2. ^ U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Hearing Record, Nomination of Frank J. Grass, 2012, page 681
  3. ^ Ancestry.com, U.S. Public Records Index, entry for Frank J. Grass, Volume 1, accessed December 30, 2012.
  4. ^ Ancestry.com, U.S. Public Records Index, entry for Frank J. Grass, Volume 2, accessed December 30, 2012.
  5. ^ Fox High School, Yearbook, 1969, page 164.
  6. ^ U.S. Northern Command Public Affairs Archived 2012-09-15 at the Wayback Machine, USNORTHCOM Deputy Receives Third Star, U.S. Northern Command News Web Site, October 4, 2010.
  7. ^ National Guard Association of the United States Archived 2013-04-15 at archive.today, Guardsman Nominated for NORTHCOM Post, published on National Guard Association of Michigan web site, September 28, 2010.
  8. ^ National Guard Association of the United States, Senate Quickly Confirms New Bureau Leaders, National Guard magazine, August 2012, page 14.
  9. ^ Association of Military Comptrollers Archived 2013-10-15 at the Wayback Machine, Professional Development Conference Program, 2006, pages 18–19.
  10. ^ National Guard Bureau Archived 2012-07-05 at the Wayback Machine, Biography, General Frank J. Grass, 2012.
  11. ^ United States Senate Archived May 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Senate Floor Log, July 26, 2012.
  12. ^ Army Times, General to Take Top Guard Job, Get 4th Star, September 5, 2012.
  13. ^ U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, Panetta Hosts Chief Change For National Guard Bureau Archived 2013-04-15 at the Wayback Machine, Department of Defense Photo Essay, September 7, 2012.
  14. ^ "Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to Host Change of Responsibility Ceremony for National Guard Bureau" (Press release). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense. Press Operations. August 2, 2016.
  15. ^ U.S. Northern Command Archived 2012-07-18 at the Wayback Machine, Biography, General Frank J. Grass, 2010.
  16. ^ Biography, General Frank J. Grass[permanent dead link], 2012.
  17. ^ General Frank J. Grass presented with Danish award.
  18. ^ National Guard Bureau Biography.
  19. ^ "AirForce". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  20. ^ U.S. Northern Command Biography
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frank J. Grass.
Military offices Preceded byH. Steven Blum Deputy Commander of the United States Northern Command 2010–2012 Succeeded byMichael Dubie Preceded byCraig McKinley Chief of the National Guard Bureau 2012–2016 Succeeded byJoseph L. Lengyel
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