Judd H Lyons

Early life and education

Lyons was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on May 29, 1962. In 1980 he graduated from the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri and enlisted in the Nebraska Army National Guard.

Lyons received a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in Human Resources Management from Bellevue University in 1994. In 2005 Lyons graduated from the United States Army War College with a Master of Strategic Studies degree.

He is also a graduate of the George C. Marshall Center Senior Executive Seminar and the National and International Security Course of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

He is a graduate of the following military courses: Infantry Officer Basic Course; Armor Officer Advanced Course; Combined Arms and Services Staff School; United States Army Command and General Staff College; Dual Status Joint Task Force Commander Course; and Joint and Combined Warfighting School; National Defense University CAPSTONE Course; Army Strategic Leader Basic, Intermediate and Advanced courses; Joint Reserve Component Senior Officer course; and the Defense Acquisition University's Senior Acquisition Management Course. Lyons is a Level IV Joint Qualified General Officer.

Military career

Lyons received his commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry after completing Officer Candidate School at the Nebraska Military Academy in 1983.

He served in various command and staff assignments in Nebraska, and his command positions include: Company D, 1st Battalion, 195th Armor (1989-1990); Nebraska Army National Guard Training Site, (2003-2004); and 92nd Troop Command, (2008-2009).

Lyons is a veteran of the Afghanistan Campaign. From November 2006 through June 2007 he served as Commander of the 209th Regional Security Assistance Command, part of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V.

Adjutant General of Nebraska

In 2009 Governor Dave Heineman selected Lyons to serve as Adjutant General, succeeding Timothy J. Kadavy, who had been selected to serve as Deputy Director of the Army National Guard.

In May, 2013, Lyons was selected for the position of Deputy Director of the Army National Guard, again succeeding Kadavy. Lyons was scheduled to assume the Deputy Director's position on July 13, 2013, and Brigadier General Walter E. Fountain acted as Deputy Director in the interim.

Governor Heineman announced in July, 2013 that he had chosen Brigadier General Daryl L. Bohac, Nebraska's Assistant Adjutant General for Air, to succeed Lyons as Adjutant General.

National Guard Bureau

Bohac took over as Adjutant General on July 15, and Lyons began his new duties as Deputy Director on July 13, 2013.

In January, 2014, Lieutenant General William E. Ingram, Jr. retired as Director of the Army National Guard. Lyons was appointed Acting Director, pending the selection of a permanent successor.

Kadavy was nominated as Director of the Army National Guard in March 2015, and confirmed by the United States Senate later that month. He assumed his new duties on March 27, and Lyons resumed his duties as Deputy Director. Lyons received the Distinguished Service Medal for his service as Deputy Director and Acting Director.

State Department detail

In June 2015 Lyons was assigned to the Joint Staff and detailed to the State Department with assignment as the Military Deputy to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. In this post he provides guidance, advice, and leadership on U.S. security policy and activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In May 2017, Lyons was assigned as Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau. He retired from the military in July 2017.

Post-military career

After retiring from the military, Lyons was employed as the Director of the Defense Personnel and Family Support Center for the Defense Human Resources Activity.

Personal life

Lyons resides in Washington, D.C. His wife, Amy, is a colonel in the Army National Guard; she has served in Macedonia and is a veteran of the Iraq War. Judd and Amy Lyons are the parents of three children, Alex Baldwin, Ben and Sam.

Alex is a captain in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, and served in Iraq. Ben is an enlisted member of the Nebraska Army National Guard and served in Afghanistan. Sam is an enlisted member of the Utah Air National Guard.

Assignments

1. May 1983 – October 1984, Battalion Assistant S3/Chemical Officer, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 134th Infantry, Omaha, Nebraska
2. October 1984 – October 1985, Anti-Armor Platoon Leader, Combat Support Company, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 134th Infantry, Wahoo, Nebraska
3. October 1985 – October 1987, Tank Platoon Leader, Company D, 1st Battalion, 195th Armor, Wahoo, Nebraska
4. October 1987 – February 1988, Battalion Support Platoon Leader, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry (Mechanized), Omaha, Nebraska
5. February 1988 – March 1989, Company Executive Officer, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry (Mechanized), Omaha, Nebraska
6. March 1989 – March 1990, Commander, Company D, 1st Battalion, 195th Armor, Wahoo, Nebraska
7. March 1990 – August 1990, Communications and Electronics Officer, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry, Lincoln, Nebraska
8. August 1990 – January 1991, Battalion S-2, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry, Lincoln, Nebraska
9. January 1991 – September 1992, Operations and Training Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
10. September 1992 – February 1995, Operations and Training Officer, 92nd Troop Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
11. February 1995 – August 1998, Executive Officer, Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry, Lincoln, Nebraska
12. August 1998 – June 1999, Mobilization Planner, Headquarters, State Area Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
13. June 1999 – April 2002, Recruiting and Retention Manager, Headquarters, State Area Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
14. April 2002 – September 2003, Executive Officer, 92nd Troop Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
15. September 2003 – December 2004, Commander, Training Site, Detachment 4, Headquarters, State Area Command, Ashland, Nebraska
16. December 2004 – September 2005, J1/Human Resource Officer (HRO), Headquarters, State Area Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
17. September 2005 – October 2006, J3/Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (DCSOPS), Joint Force Headquarters, Lincoln, Nebraska
18. November 2006 - June 2007, Commander, 209th Regional Security Assistance Command, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V, Afghanistan
19. June 2007 - April 2008, J3/Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Nebraska Joint Force Headquarters, Lincoln, Nebraska
20. April 2008 – August 2009, Commander, 92nd Troop Command, Lincoln, Nebraska
21. June 2009 – August 2009, Chief Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Lincoln, Nebraska
22. August 2009 – July 2013, Adjutant General, Nebraska National Guard, Lincoln, Nebraska
23. August 2013 – June 2015, Deputy Director, Army National Guard, Arlington, Virginia
24. January 2014 - March 2015, Acting Director of the Army National Guard, Arlington, Virginia
25. June 2015 – May 2017, Military Deputy to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, United States Department of State, Washington, District of Columbia
26. May 2017 - July 2017, Special Assistant to the Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau, Washington, DC
27. July 2017, Retired

Dates of rank