Brigadier General Ronald A. Cupples
Brigadier General Cupples 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 liaising 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:
Infantry Officer Basic Course
Ordnance Officer Basic Course
Infantry Captain's Career Course
Combined Arms and Services Staff School
Human Resource Management Qualification Course
Inspector General Course
United States Army Command and General Staff College
Harvard University - Leadership in Homeland Security
Harvard University - National Security Fellowship
United States Army War College - MSS
United States Army War College - Senior Leader Seminar
Joint Task Force Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
Dual Status Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
CIVILIAN EDUCATION:
Boston University - BS - Business Administration & Management
Nichols College - MBA - Business Administration
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. May 20 - Present: Assistant Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
2. Nov 18 - Apr 20: Chief of Staff, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
3. Feb 17 - Nov 18: Commander, 51st Troop Command, Wellesley, Massachusetts
4. Sep 16 - Jan 17: Human Resource Officer, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
5. Jan 16 - Aug 16: J1, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
6. Sep 14 - Dec 15: AGR Management Branch Chief, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
7. Aug 12 - Sep 14: Commander, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Melrose, Massachusetts
8. Oct 11 - Jul 12: Full Time Manning Division Chief, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Milford, Massachusetts
9. Mar 10 - Oct 11: Acting Command Inspector General, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Milford, Massachusetts
10. Sep 09 - Mar 10: Deputy Inspector General, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Milford, Massachusetts
11. Apr 08 - Sep 09: Operations Officer, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Milford, Massachusetts
12. Jun 07 - Mar 08: Forward Operating Base Executive Officer, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, Baghdad, Iraq
13. Jan 07 - Jun 07: S3, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, Dorchester, Massachusetts
14. Sep 06 - Dec 06: Chief Inspector, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Milford, Massachusetts
15. Apr 06 - Sep 06: Operations Officer, Joint Force Headquarters-Massachusetts, Milford, Massachusetts
16. Dec 05 - Mar 06: S3, Headquarters, 1st Squadron, 182nd Cavalry Regiment, Dorchester, Massachusetts
17. Apr 05 - Dec 05: S3, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Dorchester, Massachusetts
18. Nov 04 - Mar 05: Operations Officer, Headquarters, 26th Infantry Brigade, Devens, Massachusetts
19. Feb 04 - Nov 04: S1, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Dorchester, Massachusetts
20. Sep 02 - Feb 04: Commander, Company A, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Stoughton, Massachusetts
21. Sep 97 - Sep 02: Commander, Company D, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Middleboro, Massachusetts
22. Aug 96 - Aug 97 Platoon Leader, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Dorchester, Massachusetts
23. Jul 95 - Jul 96: Rifle Platoon Leader, Company D, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Middleboro, Massachusetts
24. Jul 94 - Jul 95: United States Army Reserve Control Group (Reinforcement), Saint Louis, Missouri
25. Apr 93 - Jul 94: Assistant S2/S3 Operations Officer, Headquarters, 17th Corps Support Battalion, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
26. Oct 92 - Apr 93: Platoon Leader, 536th Maintenance Company, 7th Maintenance Battalion, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
27. Feb 91 - Oct 92: Mortar Platoon Leader, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Meritorious Unit Citation
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Iraq Campaign Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hour Glass and M Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
Ranger Tab
Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:
Human Resource Officer responsible for the administrative services and support of approximately 1,675 full-time personnel, comprised of Title 5 National Guard Employees, Title 32 Federal Technicians, and Active Guard Reserve personnel employed by the Massachusetts Army and Air National Guard. Perform long-term planning and organizational development necessary to accomplish human resources functions in support of labor and employee relations, staffing and classification, employee development, and military support.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS:
Second Lieutenant 20 May 1990
First Lieutenant 30 Sep 1992
Captain 17 Sep 1997
Major 16 Aug 2005
Lieutenant Colonel 23 Nov 2010
Colonel 15 Sep 2016
Brigadier General 1 May 2020
(Current as of July 2020)