Background and Experience
Major General Tucker entered the United States Army as a private in 1972 and served as a cavalry scout for 1st Battalion, 35th Armor in Erlangen, Germany until he departed as a staff sergeant 1977. In 1979, following two years as a drill sergeant in the 3rd Basic Combat Training Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, General Tucker was accepted to Officer Candidate School, where he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate.
After being commissioned in armor, General Tucker's first assignment was tank platoon leader, B Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor, Germany. During this tour from January 1980 until July 1984 he served as a Tank Company Executive Officer, Battalion Motor Officer, commanded the Battalion’s Combat Support Company and C Company. Following stateside schooling, General Tucker returned to Germany in January 1986 to command Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor, then served as the Battalion Adjutant, Deputy Sub-Community Commander of Ferris Barracks, and finally as the S3, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
Major General Tucker attended Army Command and General Staff College in 1991-92 and was then assigned as an Assistant Professor, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He was then selected to serve as a joint staff officer, and was assigned as Chief, Joint Network Simulations at the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama.
Major General Tucker commanded 1st Battalion, 64th Armor, 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) from June 1996 to June 1998 and following attendance at the U.S. Army War College, was assigned as the G3, 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) from June 1999 to February 2001.
In March 2001, he assumed command of 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, which culminated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and then assumed duties as Executive Officer, Commanding General U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army.
After completing his tour as Executive Officer, he assumed duties as the Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver) for the 1st Armored Division from August 2004 to August 2005. He then moved over to be the Assistant Division Commander (Support) from August 2005 until June 2006. Shortly after, General Tucker was selected to succeed Albert Bryant, Jr. as the Deputy Commanding General/Assistant Commandant, United States Army Armor Center and Fort Knox, and then assigned to Walter Reed in April 2007.
After completing his tour at Walter Reed, Major General Tucker was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, International Security Assistance Force (Afghanistan), where he served until 2009.
Read more about this topic: Michael S. Tucker
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