Judd H. Lyons

Judd H. Lyons
Lyons in October 2012
Birth name	Judd Henry Lyons
Born	May 29, 1962 St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1980–present
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Company D, 1st Battalion, 195th Armor Nebraska Army National Guard Training Site 92nd Troop Command 209th Regional Security Assistance Command Nebraska National Guard Army National Guard
Battles/wars	War in Afghanistan
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal
Website	www.nationalguard.mil

Judd Henry Lyons (born May 29, 1962) is an American general who is Military Deputy to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the United States Department of State. He was Deputy Director of the Army National Guard from 2013 to 2015, Acting Director of the Army National Guard from 2014 to 2015, and Adjutant General of Nebraska from 2009 to 2013.

Early life and education

Lyons was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on May 29, 1962.^[1] In 1980 he graduated from the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri and enlisted in the Nebraska Army National Guard.^[2]

Lyons received a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in Human Resources Management from Bellevue University in 1994.^[3] In 2005 Lyons graduated from the United States Army War College with a Master of Strategic Studies degree.^[4]

He is also a graduate of the George C. Marshall Center Senior Executive Seminar and the National and International Security Course of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.^[5]

He is a graduate of the following military courses: Infantry Officer Basic Course; Armor Officer Advanced Course; Combined Arms and Services Staff School; United States Army Command and General Staff College; Dual Status Joint Task Force Commander Course; and Joint and Combined Warfighting School.

Military Career

Lyons received his commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry after completing Officer Candidate School at the Nebraska Military Academy in 1983.^[6]

He served in various command and staff assignments in Nebraska, and his command positions include: Company D, 1st Battalion, 195th Armor (1989-1990); Nebraska Army National Guard Training Site, (2003-2004); and 92nd Troop Command, (2008-2009).

Lyons is a veteran of the War in Afghanistan. From November 2006 through June 2007 he served as Commander of the 209th Regional Security Assistance Command, part of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V.^[7]

Adjutant General of Nebraska

In 2009 Governor Dave Heineman selected Lyons to serve as Adjutant General, succeeding Timothy J. Kadavy, who had been selected to serve as Deputy Director of the Army National Guard.^[8]

In May, 2013, Lyons was selected for the position of Deputy Director of the Army National Guard, again succeeding Kadavy. Lyons was scheduled to assume the Deputy Director's position on August 1, and Brigadier General Walter E. Fountain acted as Deputy Director in the interim.^[9]

Governor Heineman announced in July, 2013 that he had chosen Brigadier General Daryl L. Bohac, Nebraska's Assistant Adjutant General for Air, to succeed Lyons as Adjutant General.^[10]

Deputy Director of the Army National Guard

Bohac took over as Adjutant General on July 15, and Lyons began his new duties as Deputy Director on August 1.^[11][12]

In January, 2014, Lieutenant General William E. Ingram, Jr. retired as Director of the Army National Guard. Lyons was appointed Acting Director, pending the selection of a permanent successor.^[13]

Kadavy was nominated as Director of the Army National Guard in March 2015, and confirmed by the United States Senate later that month. He assumed his new duties on March 27, and Lyons resumed his duties as Deputy Director.^[14][15] Lyons received the Distinguished Service Medal for his service as Deputy Director and Acting Director.^[16]

State Department detail

In June, 2015 Lyons was detailed to the State Department and assigned as Military Deputy to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. In this post he provides guidance, advice, and leadership on U.S security policy and activities in Southwest Asia.^[17]

Personal life

Lyons resides in Washington, D.C. His wife, Amy, is a lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard and a veteran of the Iraq War. Judd and Amy Lyons are the parents of three children, Alex Baldwin, Ben and Sam.^[18]

The oldest of their three sons, Alex, is a member of the South Dakota Army National Guard, and served in Iraq, and Ben is a member of the Nebraska Army National Guard.^[19]

Awards and decorations

• Distinguished Service Medal
• Legion of Merit
• Bronze Star Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Army Achievement Medal
• Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
• National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass and “M” Device)
• Army Service Ribbon
• Overseas Service Ribbon
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
• Nebraska National Guard Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Nebraska National Guard Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Nebraska National Guard Individual Achievement Medal
• Nebraska National Guard Homeland Defense Service Ribbon (with M Device)
• Nebraska National Guard Emergency Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
• Nebraska National Guard Service Medal (with 25 Year Device)
• Louisiana National Guard Emergency Service Medal

Assignments

1. May 1983 – October 1984, Battalion Assistant S3/Chemical Officer, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 134th Infantry, Omaha, Nebraska
2. October 1984 – October 1985, Anti-Armor Platoon Leader, Combat Support Company, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 134th Infantry, Wahoo, Nebraska
3. October 1985 – October 1987, Tank Platoon Leader, Company D, 1st Battalion, 195th Armor, Wahoo, Nebraska
4. October 1987 – February 1988, Battalion Support Platoon Leader, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry (Mechanized), Omaha, Nebraska
5. February 1988 – March 1989, Company Executive Officer, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry (Mechanized), Omaha, Nebraska
6. March 1989 – March 1990, Commander, Company D, 1st Battalion, 195th Armor, Wahoo, Nebraska
7. March 1990 – August 1990, Communications and Electronics Officer, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry, Lincoln, Nebraska
8. August 1990 – January 1991, Battalion S-2, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry, Lincoln, Nebraska
9. January 1991 – September 1992, Operations and Training Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
10. September 1992 – February 1995, Operations and Training Officer, 92nd Troop Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
11. February 1995 – August 1998, Executive Officer, Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry, Lincoln, Nebraska
12. August 1998 – June 1999, Mobilization Planner, Headquarters, State Area Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
13. June 1999 – April 2002, Recruiting and Retention Manager, Headquarters, State Area Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
14. April 2002 – September 2003, Executive Officer, 92nd Troop Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
15. September 2003 – December 2004, Commander, Training Site, Detachment 4, Headquarters, State Area Command, Ashland, Nebraska
16. December 2004 – September 2005, J1/Human Resource Officer (HRO), Headquarters, State Area Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
17. September 2005 – October 2006, J3/Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (DCSOPS), Joint Force Headquarters, Lincoln, Nebraska
18. November 2006 - June 2007, Commander, 209th Regional Security Assistance Command, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V, Afghanistan
19. June 2007 - April 2008, J3/Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Nebraska Joint Force Headquarters, Lincoln, Nebraska
20. April 2008 – August 2009, Commander, 92nd Troop Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
21. June 2009 – August 2009, Chief Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Lincoln, Nebraska
22. August 2009 – July 2013, Adjutant General, Nebraska National Guard, Lincoln, Nebraska
23. August 2013 – June 2015, Deputy Director, Army National Guard, Arlington, Virginia
24. January 2014 - March 2015, Acting Director of the Army National Guard, Arlington, Virginia
25. June 2015 – Present, Military Deputy to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, United States Department of State, Washington, District of Columbia

Dates of rank

• Major General – September 22, 2012
• Brigadier General – December 22, 2010
• Colonel – December 10, 2004
• Lieutenant Colonel – August 30, 1999
• Major – April 28, 1993
• Captain – April 28, 1989
• First Lieutenant – May 21, 1986
• Second Lieutenant – May 22, 1983

References

1. Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002, entry for Judd Henry Lyons, accessed June 6, 2013
2. Nebraska Military Department, Biography, Judd H. Lyons, 2009, page 1
3. Nebraska Military Department, Biography, Judd H. Lyons, 2011, page 1
4. Army War College Foundation, Foundation and Alumni News, Fall, 2011, page 9
5. Office of Governor Dave Heineman, Press release, Gov. Heineman Announces Promotion of Nebraska Adjutant General to National Post, May 28, 2013
6. Nebraska Army National Guard, Program, 47th Annual Greater Nebraska Military Ball, 2010, page 7
7. Lincoln Rotary Club, The Propeller, May 27, 2013, page 1
8. Kevin Hynes, Nebraska National Guard, The Prairie Soldier, Lyons Becomes 32nd Adjutant General, October, 2009, page 1
9. Robby Korth, Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska's Lyons named second in command of Army National Guard, May 28, 2013
10. Grant Schulte, Associated Press, Army Times, New Adjutant General Named for Nebraska National Guard, July 8, 2013
11. Robby Korth, World-Herald News Service, Maj. Gen. Bohac Takes Over, Wants Guardsmen to Keep Same Goals, July 15, 2013
12. Leadership Directories, Profile, Judd H. Lyons, accessed August 14, 2013
13. Michelle Tan, Army Times, Director of Army National Guard Retires, January 14, 2014
14. Tan, Michelle (March 27, 2015). "Senate Confirms New Army Guard Director". Army Times.
15. "Gen. Odierno: New Army Guard director brings "unparalleled" experience to role". http://www.nationalguard.mil/. April 15, 2015. External link in |newspaper= (help)
16. "Biography, Major General Judd H. Lyons". National Guard Bureau General Officer Management Office. National Guard Bureau. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
17. "Biography, Major General Judd H. Lyons". National Guard Bureau General Officer Management Office. National Guard Bureau. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
18. Nebraska Army National Guard, Program, 47th Annual Greater Nebraska Military Ball, 2010, page 7
19. Nebraska Military Department, Biography, Judd H. Lyons, 2009, page 1

External resources

• Judd H. Lyons at National Guard Bureau, General Officer Management Office