Brigadier General James E. Bonner

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SIU Army ROTC General James E. Bonner

Inducted November 3, 2012

Brigadier General James E. Bonner assumed command of the 20th CBRNE Command on July 19, 2017, at a ceremony on McBride Parade Field, Aberdeen Proving Ground-Edgewood Area.  Brigadier General Bonner is the 7th commander of the U.S. Army 20th CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and explosives) Command.  As commander of the Army's and Department of Defense sole CBRNE organization, he is responsible for the manning, equipping, and training of more than 5,300 Sodiers and civilians assigned across two Explosive Ordnance Disposal Groups, one Chemical Brigade, and a CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity.  Brigadier General Jim Bonner is a native of Anna, Illinois and received a Regular Army commission in May 1988 as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Southern Illinois University. His military education includes the Chemical Officer’s Basic and Advanced Courses, Basic Airborne Course, Ranger School, Jumpmaster School, Pathfinder School, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the United States Naval War College. He holds a Master’s Degree in Administration from Central Michigan University and National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College.

COL Bonner’s previous assignments have included Battalion Chemical Officer, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment; Platoon Leader, 91st Chemical Company, 24th Infantry Division (Mech); Brigade Chemical Officer, 3rd Brigade, 505thParachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division; Battalion Operations Officer, 83rd Chemical Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps; Company Commander of the 101st Chemical Company, 83rd Chemical Battalion; Plans and Policy Officer J-5 and as a Counter proliferation Planner J-3, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC); Special Assistant for Countering WMD Terrorism, Counterterrorism Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Battalion S3 and Battalion Executive Officer for the 23d Chemical Battalion; the LTC/Major Assignment Officer and Chief of Chemical Branch at the Human Resources Command, Battalion Commander of the 23d Chemical Battalion, Deputy Commander, 3d Chemical Brigade and Executive Officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff for Joint Operations (DCOSJOPS), International Security Assistance Force Joint Command (IJC).

While assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, COL Bonner deployed to Panama as part of Task Force Red-Tango, he participated in the parachute assault and seizure of Torrijos-Tocumen Airfields during OPERATION JUST CAUSE.

While as the Battalion Commander for the 23dChemical Battalion, COL Bonner deployed the battalion in support of the 82nd Airborne Division (CJTF-76) to Afghanistan during OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM 06-08.

While assigned to 3d Chemical Brigade, COL Bonner was selected to redeploy back to Afghanistan OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM in order to assist with the establishment of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command (IJC) where he served as the Executive Officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff for Joint Operations (DCOSJOPS).

COL Bonner’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Meritorious Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Superior Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster. National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, NATO Medal (ISAF), Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge with Combat Star, Pathfinder Badge, Thailand, Australian, and German Parachutist Badges. He wears the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Scroll as his Combat Patch.