Major General Joseph Anderson
Commanding General
4th Infantry Division & Fort Carson
Fort Carson, Colorado 80913
Major General Joseph Anderson
Major General Joseph Anderson graduated from United States Military Academy in 1981 and holds Masters degrees in Administration from Central Michigan University and National Security and Strategic Studies from Naval War College. MG Anderson has served in all five types of infantry units – Airborne, Air Assault, Ranger, Light, and Mechanized. His initial duty locations include 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Polk, Louisiana; 193rd Infantry Brigade at Fort Kobbe, and Fort Clayton, Republic of Panama, where he commanded Company C, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 187th Infantry Regiment; and the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Washington, where he deployed in support of OPERATION JUST CAUSE as commander of Company B
Upon completion of CGSC, Anderson served as Majors Assignment Officer at Infantry Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, Alexandria, Virginia, from 1992-1993. He was subsequently assigned to 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where he served as Battalion Operations Officer (S3) in 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry; 1st Brigade S3; Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Pacific Command at Fort Shafter, Honolulu; and 3rd Brigade Executive Officer. Anderson then commanded 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he initially deployed in support of Task Force Hawk in Albania, and subsequently led the first U.S. ground forces into Kosovo for Operation Joint Guardian.
Following completion of College of Naval Warfare in 2000, Anderson remained in Newport, Rhode Island as an instructor in Joint Military Operations Department. From July 2002 to July 2004, he commanded the 2nd Brigade and 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and deployed in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM in 2003; he then served as Division Chief of Staff. In February 2005, he was assigned as Executive Officer to Secretary of the Army, and then became the III Corps Chief of Staff at Fort Hood, Texas in August 2006. Anderson returned to Iraq in December 2006 to serve as Multinational Corps-Iraq Chief of Staff during the "surge." In June 2008, Anderson was appointed as Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky until July 2009. He then returned to Iraq in August 2009 to serve as Multi-National Forces/United States Forces–Iraq Chief of Staff during the transition and initial drawdown of U.S. forces. Anderson recently served as the Department of the Army Headquarters Director of Operations, Readiness and Mobilization from August 2010 to October 2011.
His military education includes Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Combined Arms Services Staff School, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and U.S. Naval War College.
His awards include Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star with valor device, Bronze Star with four oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and four bronze oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with arrowhead device, NATO Medal with bronze service star, Kosovo Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with one silver service star, Armed Forces Service Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Expert Infantryman's Badge, Combat Infantryman's Badge (2nd award), Master Parachutist Wings with bronze star, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab, Army Staff Identification Badge, Recruiter Badge and Panamanian, Brazilian, German, and Thai Jump Wings.
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