Brig. Gen. Reginald Kornegay was born and raised in New York City and enlisted in the US Army National Guard as in Infantryman in 1989. He completed his Baccalaureate Degree at the State University of New York, College at Oswego, where he was commissioned through the Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps program in 1993. He completed his Officer Basic Course at the Field Artillery School, in Fort Sill and joined the Army Reserves in New York. As the Army Reserve eliminated its Combat Arms units, Brig. Gen. Kornegay was introduced to the Civil Affairs Branch and joined the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion in 1998. His career and business goals led him to move down to Florida, where he served as an Observer/Controller/Trainer with the 3-347th Regiment, 87th Training Division
Directly after the terrorist attacks on September 11th, Kornegay supported the mobilization of several reserve units deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq. Eager to join the combat efforts, he transferred back to Civil Affairs and deployed as a Civil Affairs Team Leader with the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (Special Operations) (Airborne) to Baghdad in 2004. In his tenure with the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion, he served as the HHC Executive Officer, the Battalion S-4, the S-3 Plans Officer, commanded and deployed the Battalion’s Delta Company to the Horn of Africa, and served twice as the Battalion’s Executive Officer. He deployed in support of Special Operations Command-South and USSOUTHCOM to several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, conducting Civil Affairs mission in support of counter-extremism and trans-national criminal organization efforts in the region.
Brig. Gen. Kornegay returned to the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion as its Commander from 2014 through 2016. After Battalion Command, he was appointed as the Command Inspector General for the 350th Civil Affairs Command and later as the Team Chief for its Function Support Team covering USNORTHCOM and the Command’s support to civilian authorities during national disasters. This falls in line with his extensive career as a Network Emergency Manager for the US Department of Veterans Affair, covering southern Georgia, the entire state of Florida, and the Caribbean. He has served the agency for over 28 years and was the leader of the response team that responded to the Pulse Night Club shooting in Orlando, Florida. Col. Kornegay served as the G-3 for the 353d Civil Affairs Command out of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, New York, before assuming Command of the 360th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne). After his successful Brigade Command, he assumed the role of Officer in Charge of the Army Reserve Element in the Southern Command.
As a citizen Soldier, Brig. Gen. Kornegay is also a serial entrepreneur, owning several businesses in Florida, including an awarded retirement and extended congregate care community and a commercial real-estate and property management business. He holds a master’s degree with honors in Business Entrepreneurship from the American Public University, a master’s degree with honors in Strategic Security Studies, and a Counter-Terrorism Fellow from the resident Senior Service College at the National Defense University – College of International Security Affairs.
His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (7 OLC), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal (1 Bronze Star), Iraqi Campaign Medal (1 Bronze Star), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal ( 2 “M” Devices, 1 Bronze Hour Glass), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (Bronze “3”), Combat Action Badge, Basic Parachutist Badge, German Parachutist Badge, NATO/C.I.O.R. Military Pentathlon Badge, and the Army Physical Fitness Badge.
Brig. Gen. Kornegay resides in Orlando Florida, with his wife and business partner Mrs. Susan Kornegay, esq and they have three children: Daniel (A 2nd-year medical student at the University of Miami), Jeremy (A Mechanical Engineer for Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, CA, and Julia (A Freshman Creative Writing Major at Full Sail University in Orlando).