Brig. Gen Gerald E. McDonald Jr. serves as the Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Connecticut National Guard, responsible for the 1,200 Connecticut Air National Guard members that make up its operational and support units. General McDonald is the key military advisor for Air Force matters to The Adjutant General (TAG-CT) and serves as the principal representative of the Air National Guard senior leadership on the Adjutant General's joint Army/Air National Guard state headquarters staff.
General McDonald began his military career enlisting in the Connecticut Air National Guard in 1987, serving six years as a logistician before he was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in 1993 as an aircraft maintenance officer. In addition to serving as the 103d Maintenance Group commander, General McDonald has served in numerous command positions at the 103rd Airlift Wing and Joint Force Headquarters, CT. As the deputy director of operations, Joint Force Headquarters, J-5 Directorate, he was instrumental in developing and exercising key plans and programs in response to natural disasters and homeland defense activities. General McDonald served one tour of duty in Kuwait with Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, supporting air patrols in the no-fly zones over Iraq established after the 1991 Gulf War. In February 2003, General McDonald was mobilized by presidential order for deployment to Southwest Asia for what became Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and deployed with 300 members of the 103rd Fighter Wing. As the sortie generation officer, he was responsible for 150 maintenance personnel and all flightline activities for A-10 operations.
EDUCATION
1988 Associate of Science in Business Administration, Dean Junior College, Franklin, Massachusetts
1991 Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut
2004 Master of Business Administration in Technology Management, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona
2007 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2011 USAF Air War College, Air University Non-resident Studies, by correspondence
2019 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2019 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC); Joint Base Andrews, Md. & Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1987 - November 1993, Logistician, 103rd Resource Management Squadron, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Conn.
2. November 1993 - February 1995, Organizational Maintenance Officer, 103rd Logistics Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Conn.
3. February 1995 - November 1997, Chief of Supply, 103rd Logistics Squadron, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Conn.
4. November 1997 - March 1999, Commander, 103rd Communications Flight, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Conn.
5. March 1999 - March 2004, Organizational Maintenance Officer, 103rd Maintenance Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Conn. (January 2003 – May 2003, Sortie Generation Officer, 387th Air Expeditionary Wing, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM)
6. March 2004 - March 2006, Deputy Director of Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, J-5 Directorate, Connecticut National Guard, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Conn.
7. March 2006 - August 2008, Commander, 103rd Logistics Squadron, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Conn.
8. August 2008 - September 2018, Commander, 103rd Maintenance Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Conn.
9. September 2018 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General, East Granby, Conn.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and three bronze oak leaves
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaves
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFLIATIONS
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Connecticut
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 18, 1993
First Lieutenant Feb. 27, 1996
Captain March 8, 1998
Major March 12, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel March 6, 2008
Colonel Dec. 17, 2011
Brigadier General Sept. 8, 2018