Brigadier General Mark A. Merlino

Brigadier General Merlino is the Assistant Adjutant General – Army, Massachusetts National Guard.  He serves as the Adjutant General’s principle advisor on Army issues. He is responsible for liaison with external partners, to include the state, local, and federal interagency, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), National Guard Bureau and the Department of the Army. He has oversight of Army Facility Construction and Stationing and is a voting member of the State Retired List Board. He chairs the State Partnership Program with the Republic of Paraguay, the Risk Reduction, Resiliency, and Suicide Prevention (R3SP) Council and Joint Diversity Executive Council. He is president of the Academic Board and Senior Service College Selection Board.  He is responsible for supporting and shaping the force.

MILITARY EDUCATION:

Dual Status Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
Syracuse University, National Security Studies Management Course (NSSMC)
United States Army War College

CIVILIAN EDUCATION:

Northeastern University - MS - Computer Systems Engineering
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies
University of Massachusetts Amherst - BS - Computer and Information Science

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. March 2018 - Present: Assistant Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts; dual-hatted,

2. Jun 18 - Present, Army National Guard Assistant for Reserve Affairs, Chief of Engineers, Washington, District of Columbia

3. October 2015 - February 2018: Director, Joint Staff, Joint Forces Headquarters, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts

4. December 2012 - October 2015: Commander, 79th Troop Command, Rehoboth, Massachusetts

5. April 2012 - December 2012: S3, 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Reading, Massachusetts

6. February 2011 -  April 2012: G3, 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, US Forces Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan

7. August 2010 - February 2011: S3, 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Reading, Massachusetts

8. September 2009 - July 2010: Chief, Joint Exercise Branch, Joint Force Headquarters, Milford, Massachusetts

9. November 2008 - September 2009: Chief, Brigade Military Transition Team, Headquarters, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Tuz Khurmatu, Iraq

10. November 2006 to October 2008: Commander, Headquarters, 101st Engineer Battalion, Whitinsville, Massachusetts

11. June 2004 - October 2006 Executive Officer, Headquarters, 181st Engineer Battalion, Whitinsville, Massachusetts

12. October 2001 - June 2004: S3, Headquarters, 181st Engineer Battalion, Whitinsville, Massachusetts

13. October 2000 - September 2001: Operations Officer, Headquarters, 181st Engineer Battalion, Whitinsville, Massachusetts

14. June 1999 - October 2000: Assistant Brigade Engineer, Headquarters, 181st Engineer Battalion, Whitinsville, Massachusetts

15. August 1997 - May 1999: S1, Headquarters, 181st Engineer Battalion, Whitinsville, Massachusetts

16. August 1996 - January 1997 Commander, Company A, 181st Engineer Battalion, Milford, Massachusetts

17. December 1994 - August 1996: Commander, Company D, 101st Engineer Battalion, Milford, Massachusetts

18. December 1991 - December 1994: Executive Officer, Company E, 101st Engineer Battalion, Newburyport, Massachusetts

19. June 1988 - December 1991: Platoon Leader, Company E, 101st Engineer Battalion, Newburyport, Massachusetts

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

• Legion of Merit
• Bronze Star Medal
• Defense Meritorious Service Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Joint Service Commendation Medal
• Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Army Achievement Medal (with 2 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 1 Bronze Service Star)
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
• Iraq Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass Device and M Device)
• Army Service Ribbon
• Army Overseas Service Ribbon
• Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
• Massachusetts Service Medal (with Gold Eagle Device)
• Massachusetts Defense Expeditionary Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
• Massachusetts Defense Service Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
• Massachusetts Emergency Service Ribbon (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
• Combat Action Badge
• Parachutist Badge
• Air Assault Badge

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Senior Principal Software Engineer and Section Manager at Raytheon Company in Marlboro, Massachusetts. Brigadier General Merlino has daily control of the planning, design, development, testing and validation of US Navy radar software components for over 30 engineers. He provides senior management with schedule and cost analysis on a periodic basis, generating recommendations on staffing and efficiency improvements to development activities. Brigadier General Merlino is responsible for the career development of these engineers and provides recommendations to senior management on staffing for 130 engineers in the Naval Software Department, Software Engineering Directorate, Integrated Defense Systems, Raytheon Company. He has over 28 years of software engineering experience in multiple industries to include defense, logistics, manufacturing, advertisements, and media.

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS:

• Second Lieutenant 22 May 1988
• First Lieutenant 5 June 1991
• Captain 11 February 1997
• Major 30 May 2002
• Lieutenant Colonel 25 April 2007
• Colonel 25 September 2013
• Brigadier General 1 March 2018

(Current as of June 2018)