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11th Airborne Division | Deputy Commanding General


Brig. Gen. James Wilkins

Brigadier General James Wilkins serves as the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Alaska, as well as the Director of Joint Staff for the Montana National Guard. BG Wilkins has served in the US Army for 30 years. He is a ROTC graduate from Montana State University and received his commission in 1989. BG Wilkins previously served as the State Aviation Officer and has served in numerous positions within the 1-189th Combat Support Aviation Battalion, 1-189th Air Assault Battalion and 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion. Positions held include S2, Assistant S3, S3 and Executive Officer. He also served as the Aide De Camp for the Montana Adjutant General as well as the BDE S3 for 95th Troop Command. While serving on Active Duty from 1991 – 1998, he served as the EH-60 Platoon Leader and Assistant S4 with 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Bliss, Texas. He also served as the Assistant S3 with the 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion, Camp Humphreys, Korea and Special Electronic Mission Aircraft Branch Chief, Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

BG Wilkins’ command time includes Company A Commander 1-189th Combat Support Aviation Battalion, Task Force Vigilante Commander in support of Operation Desert Spring (2001) and Battalion Commander 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion, to include Task Force Vigilante Battalion Commander in support of Operation Spartan Shield (2013-2014). Other deployments include Iraqi Freedom (2004-2005) as BN S3 for 1-189th Air Assault Battalion. He has logged over 2,500 flight hours and aircraft qualifications include, UH-1, EH-60, UH-60, C-12 and RC-12 Guardrail Common Sensor platforms.

Awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal w/2 bronze oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal w/4 bronze oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal w/bronze service star, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Montana National Guard Distinguished Service Medal, and the Master Army Aviator Badge.

BG Wilkins is a 2015 graduate of the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base and was promoted to Brigadier General June 2020.

BG Wilkins has a Bachelor’s of Science in Construction Engineering from Montana State University.