Major General Ernest Litynski was born in Chicago, IL, and was commissioned a 2LT in the Armor Branch in 1994. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from the United States Military Academy; a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Marquette University, WI; a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Marquette University, WI; and a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. His military education includes: Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Combined Arms Service Staff School (CAS3); U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (ILE/AOWC), Advanced Joint Professional Military Education (AJPME), Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA), the United States Army War College (USAWC), and post-USAWC professional military education, to include U.S. Army War College Senior Leader Seminar; National Security Studies Program, George Washington University; Canadian Securities Study Program, Canadian Command and Staff College; Senior Commander’s Course, Washington, D.C.; and Combined/Joint Forces Land Component Commander (C/JFLCC) Course, U.S. Army War College. He is a Joint Qualified Officer (JQO) – “3L” and fluent in the Polish language.
Major General Litynski has held a variety of active and reserve component command and staff positions to include: Armor Platoon Leader, 3-68 Armor, 4th Infantry Division (M), Fort Carson, CO; Scout Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Acting Troop Commander, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, CO; Senior Team Chief, 2nd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Knox, KY; Assistant Professor of Military Science, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI; Future Operations Planner, G3, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, NC; Future Operations Planner, C3, Multi-National Corps-Iraq (MNC-I), Iraq; Operations Officer, 82nd Airborne Division, Afghanistan; Battalion Commander, 3rd Battalion, 329th Regiment, 86th Division, Milwaukee, WI; Battalion Commander, 1115th Mobilization Support Battalion (MSB), 87th USAR Support Command (East), Forest Park, IL; Group Commander, Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer (EPLO) Group, 76th Operational Response Command, Fort Douglas, UT; Brigade Commander, 1st Brigade, 86th Division (Operations) and subsequently as Deputy Division Commander, 86th Division (Operations), Fort McCoy, WI; Deputy Commanding General, 81st Readiness Division (RD), Fort Jackson, S.C; Commander, 1st Cavalry Division (Forward), Poznan, Poland; and most recently, Commanding General, 85th U.S. Army Reserve Support Command.
Major General Litynski’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (two campaign stars), Afghanistan Campaign medal (one campaign star), NATO Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit citation, and the Army Superior Unit Award. He has earned the Air Assault Badge, Parachutist Badge, the Armor/Cavalry Order of St. George – Bronze Medallion, the German Army Efficiency Badge – Gold, and the Polish Stars of Iraq and Afghanistan.