Alabama State Defense Force

Training Command Biographies

Colonel James E. Henderson of Ozark serves as the Commander of the Alabama State Defense Force Training Command. He is currently on assignment with DynCorp in Afghanistan until December 2009.

Captain Robert Gulledge of Ozark is serving as the Executive Officer of the Alabama State Defense Force Training Command.

CPT Gulledge’s previous assignments within the Alabama State Defense Force were as the 304^th S-2, and as the 304^th S-3.

CPT Gulledge is a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer (Cryptologic Technician Administrative) CTAC (SW).

His Navy awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, and Meritorious Unit Commendation for actions against Libya in 1986 during Operation El Dorado Canyon. His duty stations included Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA), Karamursel, Turkey, NSGA Sinop, Turkey, Classified Material Systems (DCMS) Washington, DC, CINCPACFLT Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USS AMERICA (CV66), and NSGA Misawa Japan.

He returned to his hometown of Ozark, Alabama in 1990 and began working for the Department of the Army as a Computer Specialist for the U.S. Army Aeromedical Center until 1998, when he accepted a position as a Network Manager for Computer Sciences Corporation in Montgomery. After the events of September 11, 2001, CPT Gulledge made the decision to return to work for the government as a Computer Scientist at Fort Huachuca, AZ and then as a Training Specialist at the Warrant Officer Career Center, Fort Rucker, in 2003. He currently designs web-based courses for the Warrant Officer Education System and manages the distributed learning program at Fort Rucker.

He and his wife Roseanna have been married 34 years, and have two daughters and one son. His son is a senior at Auburn University in college where he is majoring in Software Engineering. His daughter Dana is a graduate of the Troy University School of Nursing and works at South East Alabama Medical Center. His other daughter Stephanie is a graduate of Troy University Dothan and works as an elementary school teacher at NAS Lenoore, California.

CPT Ronald J. "Jason" Smith is serving as the Director of Instructions for the Alabama State Defense Force Training Command.

CPT Smith's previous assignments within the Alabama State Defense Force were as the S-3 - 204th Infantry Battalion, and as Commander - Company A, 204th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade. CPT Smith also served as Communications NCO for Company B - 202nd Communications Battalion, Company H - 203rd Infantry Battalion, and for HQ - 202nd Communications Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade before being commissioned.

CPT Smith and his wife Becky have been married for 1 year and are expecting their first child in April 2009.

CSM John L. Blackburn serves as the Command Sergeants Major for the Alabama State Defense Force Training Command and the Alabama State Guard.

CSM Blackburn's previous assignments within the Alabama State Defense Force were as the Command Sergeants Major and prior to that, the Aviation Operations and Training Non-Commissioned Officer for the, 402^nd, Infantry Battalion, 4^th Infantry Brigade in Ozark Alabama. CSM Blackburn also served as the Adjutant for the 304^th Infantry Battalion, 3^rd Infantry Brigade.

CSM Blackburn is also currently serving as the Deputy State Advisor for the Military Emergency Management Specialist Academy.

CSM Blackburn started his active duty military career as a Combat Infantryman in 1974. In 1978 CSM Blackburn transferred to the U.S. Army Aviation Branch as an Attack (Cobra) Helicopter Crew chief. After four years as an Attack Helicopter Crew chief, CSM Blackburn, re-classified MOS's to become an Aviation Operations Sergeant. During a military career that spanned 22 years, CSM Blackburn served in Infantry, Aviation, and Air Cavalry units through out the United States, Panama, Europe and the Middle East. CSM Blackburn's first duty assignment was as an Experimentation Soldier at H.L.M.R. in Ca., where he was assigned to the USACDEC. In 1991, CSM Blackburn deployed to Saudi Arabia with the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (AE), 5th US Corps, which was under Operational Control of the 18th Airborne Corps for "Operations Desert Storm". He stood his last active duty watch as the S-3, Operations Sergeant, Aviation Training Brigade, Fort Rucker, Alabama.

CSM Blackburn's military schools include the Lightweight Infantryman Course, Attack Helicopter Maintenance Course, AH-1S (ECAS) Maintenance Course, Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Advance Non-Commissioned Officer Course, the 1SG and Unit Administration Course, the MRTT Course, the Army Sniper Course, The Aviation Accident Prevention Course, the OSHA Compliance Management Course, the BTMS Course, the Joint Firepower Control Course, the Army NBC Course, the NATO CIMIC (G-5) Course, the NATO ACE NBC Center Operations Course, the NATO ACE NCO NBC Course, the Combat Lifesaver Course, the American Heart Association AED and CPR Courses, the American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Instructor Course, the CERT Course, the NWS Storm Spotter Course, and the MEMS Course (Basic and Senior level).

CSM Blackburn's numerous military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (4th Award), the Army Achievement Medal (5th Award), the National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), the Army Good Conduct Medal (7th Award), the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon (w/numeral 3), the Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon (3rd Award), the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), the Expert Infantryman Badge, Aircraft Crewmember Badge (Basic), the Expert Marksmanship Badge (Rifle, Auto Rifle, Mortar, Bayonet, Pistol), the Drivers Badge w/Wheel Bar, the Jungle Expert Patch, the German Schuetzenschnur, the German Sports Badge (Gold).

From the Alabama State Defense Force he has received the Alabama War Ribbon, the ASDF Commendation Ribbon, the ASDF Achievement Ribbon (Enlisted, 2nd Award and Officer, 1st Award), the Disaster Readiness Ribbon, the ASDF Service Ribbon, the "Sergeant Dixie Club" Ribbon (Silver Level), the Distinguished Graduate Ribbon, the Professional Development Ribbon, the Officer Training Ribbon w/numeral 2, the NCO Training Ribbon w/numeral 5, the CERT Ribbon and CERT Tab, Outstanding Recruiting Ribbon, the ASDF Association Membership Ribbon (5^th Award), the SGAUS Membership Ribbon (5^th Award), the MEMS Academy tab, the CERT tab, the ASDF Scuba Badge (Basic) and the MEMS Badge (Senior) w/Flash. CSM Blackburn served as the Battalion CSM for the 402nd Infantry Battalion when they were honored with the ASDF Outstanding Unit Ribbon. CSM Blackburn is a member of the "Sergeant Dixie Club", Class 001 and has also been awarded "Colonel Ola Lee Mize", ASDF Award of Excellence.

In his civilian life he works for Army Fleet Support as an Apache Helicopter mechanic.

He and his lovely wife of 30 years, have two sons who are both Eagle Scouts and "Brotherhood" members of the "Order of the Arrow". CSM Blackburn's oldest son, served in Air Foce, both on Active Duty and as a member of Alabama's Air National Guard 187th Fighter Wing (Dixie Vipers), were he served a tour in Iraq. His youngest son is a senior in college where he is majoring in Biology, specializing in Cellar and Molecular Biology.