Maj. Gen. Chris R. Gentry was assigned as the United States Army Reserve Support Command, First Army, Commanding General and as the First Army Deputy Commanding General –Support on October 3, 2016.
As the Commanding General, United States Army Reserve Command, First Army, he is responsible for ensuring seamless integration of assigned Army Reserve personnel in order to provide effective operational support and enable Mission Command of Headquarters, First United States Army.
As the Deputy Commanding General-Support, First Army, he is responsible for assisting the Commanding General, First Army, with the training, readiness and mobilization of Army Reserve and National Guard units across the United States and two U.S. territories.
Maj. Gen. Gentry’s service includes more than 30 years of active- and reserve-component duty. He received his active-duty Army commission as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Indiana University-Bloomington in 1982. Following graduation from the Military Intelligence Officers Basic Course and Tactical Intelligence Officers Course, he served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea.
After a break in service, Maj. Gen. Gentry resumed active reserve service with the 304th Military Police Battalion, the 2145th Garrison Support Unit, and the 346th Military Police Detachment, Nashville, Tennessee, before assuming command of the 304th and leading it to Kuwait and Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Changing command in theater, he assumed responsibility as the Civil Affairs Officer, 220th Military Police Brigade, and served briefly in the Provost Marshal General’s forward cell in the Green Zone, Baghdad. Upon re-deployment from Iraq, he continued service with the 220th as Long Range Plans Officer, Executive Officer, Deputy Commander, and Acting Commander. He then served as the Intelligence Officer/Assistant Civil Affairs Officer, 99th Regional Support Command, before becoming commander, 643rd Regional Support Group, Columbus, Ohio. He led the 643rd to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom X, providing garrison support service to the joint force at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. He was selected for promotion to General Officer following that command and served on active duty with Eighth Army in the Republic of Korea as Deputy Commanding General-Sustainment. Upon returning from Korea, Maj. Gen. Gentry served as Commanding General, 91st Training Division, Fort Hunter-Liggett, California, before his assignment to First Army.
Maj. Gen. Gentry’s professional training and education include a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Indiana University and master’s degrees from Tennessee State University in Public Administration and the U.S. Army War College in Strategic Studies. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, the U.S. Army War College, the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education Course, the Senior Leader Seminar, Phase II, and the CAPSTONE course. He is also a graduate of FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police.
Maj. Gen. Gentry’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Badge, Army Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge.