BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN MAJOR GENERAL DANA J. H. PITTARD UNITED STATES ARMY GENERAL : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS"

                      BLACK     SOCIAL   HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                Major General Dana J.H. Pittard, USA, serves as the Commanding General of 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He was also Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations & Training at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Monroe, Virginia and commanding general of the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California.
Pittard graduated from the United States Military Academy, Armor Officer Basic Course, Infantry Officer Advance Course, and the Command and General Staff College (CGSC). He holds a Masters Degree in Military Arts and Science from the United States Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He also has completed a National Security Fellowship at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Pittard received his commission as an Armor officer in 1981. His first operational assignment was with the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Riley, Kansas in 1982. He served as a Tank Platoon Leader and Tank Company Executive Officer in 2-63 Armor; then as a Scout Platoon Leader and Battalion S1 in 3-37 Armor. In 1984, he served as an Admissions Officer at West Point; and in 1985 was assigned to Bad Kissingen, Germany, as the Squadron S4 for 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR).
In October 1986, Pittard commanded E Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th ACR until May 1988. He next commanded Fox Company, 40th Armor (Berlin Brigade) from June 1988 until March 1990. In April 1990, he commanded D Company, 1-37 Armor at Vilseck, Germany, and led his unit in combat in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. Upon returning to Germany, he served as an Assistant S3 in 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. He next served at Fort Hood, Texas as the Assistant G3, Chief of Plans and Exercises for 2nd Armored Division; the S3 for 1-67 Armor; and then as the S3, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.
Pittard served as a Military Aide to President Bill Clinton from November 1996 until January 1999. In June 1999, he assumed command of 1-32 Armor/1-14 Cavalry at Fort Lewis, Washington as a part of the Army's first Stryker Brigade until June 2001. Pittard took command of 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division in July 2002 and led the unit on deployments to Kosovo (2002–2003) and to Iraq (2004–2005). In July 2005, Pittard was assigned as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver, 24th Infantry Division later to transition to the 1st Infantry Division. In July 2006, he deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom where he assumed command of the Iraq Assistance Group, while still serving as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver of the 1st Infantry Division. He was the commander of Iraq Assistance Group in 2006 through June 30, 2007, and transferred command to Brigadier General James C. Yarbrough. On August 8, 2007, he assumed command of Fort Irwin, CA. On December 18, 2008, Pittard announced his plans to leave Fort Irwin sometime in March 2009.He became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Training at TRADOC in March 2009.
On July 9, 2010, General Pittard assumed command of Fort Bliss, Texas.

The Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star (2nd Award), the Bronze Star with valor device, the Meritorious Service Medal (6th Award), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (3rd Award), the Ranger Tab, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge and the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. He also wears the Order of St George, the Order of St Barbara, and the Order of the de Fleury Medal.

On January 19, 2012, Pittard made a blog post which received nationwide attention in the press which stated in part that "I have now come to the conclusion that suicide is an absolutely selfish act. I am personally fed up with soldiers who are choosing to take their own lives so that others can clean up their mess. Be an adult, act like an adult, and deal with your real-life problems like the rest of us."