Guy Sands-Pingot
Encyclopedia
Guy Ludvic Sands-Pingot is an American
brigadier general
of the United States Army
. He served as Commander of the 353rd Civil Affairs Command located at Fort Wadsworth
, New York
from 3 December 2005 through 6 December 2008.
lieutenant
in 1978 from the Fordham University
ROTC where he was a member of the elite Pershing Rifles drill team Company D-8 after graduating from The City College of New York with a BA in Political Science with a specialization in Russian Area Studies. He went on active duty with assignments in the Berlin Brigade, (among them as 1st Platoon Leader, A Co. 3/6 Inf, where his unique personality led to many adventures for all concerned) followed by assignments as a Tactical Officer at the US Army Ranger Training Brigade before being posted to Korea where he served on the General Staff of the 2nd Infantry Division and later as Commander of the United Nations Honor Guard Company.
Returning to Fort Benning, Georgia in 1984, he was selected to serve as a Senior Platoon Trainer, and completed his active duty service in 1988. He then accepted a fellowship to study international economics at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland
. After graduating he joined the New York Army National Guard
, where he commanded the 142nd Infantry Detachment (LRS)
(Airborne)
until he was recalled to active duty during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm with the 48th Infantry Brigade
of the Georgia Army National Guard
.
Following release from active duty, he was selected for Special Forces
training with the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, and he underwent training at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center & School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
, completing the Special Forces Officer Qualification Course in 1993.
during the Bosnian Civil War throughout 1995 and later with the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR)
and Stabilization Force (SFOR)
.
On the civilian side he worked in various managerial level positions in Bosnia with the Department of States Train and Equip Program for the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Army, and afterward with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Bosnia. In October 1998 he was selected to serve as a senior planner for the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission
which he stayed with until evacuating from Serbia
to the Republic of Macedonia
in March 1999 for the duration of the NATO Air Campaign.
Following this assignment he returned to Kosovo
in a civilian status in order to serve as the Chief of Plans and Liaison for the newly established OSCE Mission to Kosovo. He was subsequently named by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo as the International Administrator of one of the Municipal Districts of Kosovo and later served on active duty as Deputy J9 at the Headquarters of KFOR in Pristina, Kosovo.
. This was followed by study at the Army War College in 2003.
Following promotion to colonel and graduation he assumed command of the 360th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Jackson, South Carolina
in July 2003, he subsequently mobilized and deployed to the Central Command Area of Operations as the Commander of the Combined Joint Civil Affairs Task Force (Task Force Victory) which provided all civil-military operations
throughout Afghanistan
from September 2004 to July 2005.
He was subsequently appointed to his current position as a Department of the Army civilian in order to serve as Operational Programs Oversight Officer for the Technology Management Office in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army
. He was nominated and confirmed to the rank of brigadier general in November 2005 in order to assume his current position as Commander of the 353rd Civil Affairs Command in Staten Island, New York in December 2005.
In addition to his Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College, he holds advanced post-graduate degrees in Political Economy from Fordham University
, International Relations from Troy State University, and International Economics from St. Andrews University, as well as having completed graduate work at Oxford University, and the University of South Carolina
where he is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Political Science.
In May 2010 he was selected to serve as the Deputy to the Commanding General of US Army North/Fifth Army at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas and appointed as a Tier-2 level member of the Senior Executive Service. He and his wife Valentina and their daughter, Maria-Margaret reside in San Antonio, Texas.
, Combat Action Badge
, Legion of Merit
(1 OLC), Bronze Star Medal
, Defense Meritorious Service Medal
, Meritorious Service Medal
(1 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal (5 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (1 OLC), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (1 OLC), Army of Occupation Medal
, National Defense Service Medal
(1 OLC), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
, Kosovo Campaign Medal
(2 OLC), Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
, Korean Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal
, Humanitarian Service Medal
(2 OLC), Army Service Ribbon
, Overseas Service Ribbon
, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, United Nationals Special Service Medal
(5 OLC), NATO Medal
(2 OLC), Air Assault Badge
, and Parachutist Badge
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He served as Commander of the 353rd Civil Affairs Command located at Fort Wadsworth
Fort Wadsworth
Fort Wadsworth is a former United States military installation on Staten Island in New York City, situated on The Narrows which divide New York Bay into Upper and Lower halves, a natural point for defense of the Upper Bay and Manhattan beyond. Prior to closing in 1994 it claimed to be the longest...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from 3 December 2005 through 6 December 2008.
Early military career and background
a native of New York City, Sands was born on October 27, 1957. He attended public schools graduating as a Regents Scholar from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, New York in 1974. Sands was commissioned as an infantryInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1978 from the Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
ROTC where he was a member of the elite Pershing Rifles drill team Company D-8 after graduating from The City College of New York with a BA in Political Science with a specialization in Russian Area Studies. He went on active duty with assignments in the Berlin Brigade, (among them as 1st Platoon Leader, A Co. 3/6 Inf, where his unique personality led to many adventures for all concerned) followed by assignments as a Tactical Officer at the US Army Ranger Training Brigade before being posted to Korea where he served on the General Staff of the 2nd Infantry Division and later as Commander of the United Nations Honor Guard Company.
Returning to Fort Benning, Georgia in 1984, he was selected to serve as a Senior Platoon Trainer, and completed his active duty service in 1988. He then accepted a fellowship to study international economics at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. After graduating he joined the New York Army National Guard
New York Army National Guard
The New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
, where he commanded the 142nd Infantry Detachment (LRS)
Long Range Surveillance
Long Range Surveillance units are specially trained elite Surveillance units of the United States Army that are employed by Military Intelligence Units for gathering information from deep within hostile territories....
(Airborne)
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
until he was recalled to active duty during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm with the 48th Infantry Brigade
48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a modular infantry brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard.One of the oldest units in US Army history, the lineage of the 48th Infantry Brigade can be traced back to 1825...
of the Georgia Army National Guard
Georgia Army National Guard
The Georgia Army National Guard is the Army National Guard component of the Georgia National Guard, administratively part of the Georgia Department of Defense. It consists of more than 11,100 Citizen-Soldiers training in more than 79 hometown armories and regional facilities across the state...
.
Following release from active duty, he was selected for Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
training with the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, and he underwent training at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center & School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
, completing the Special Forces Officer Qualification Course in 1993.
Special forces training, Bosnia, and Kosovo
After completing Special Forces and Russian language training, he was accepted for assignment in the 353rd Civil Affairs Command in 1994. For the next six years he served in a variety of key civil-military positions with special focus in the Balkans, the first assignment being with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR)United Nations Protection Force
The United Nations Protection Force ', was the first United Nations peacekeeping force in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav wars. It existed between the beginning of UN involvement in February 1992, and its restructuring into other forces in March 1995...
during the Bosnian Civil War throughout 1995 and later with the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR)
IFOR
The Implementation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour. Its task was to implement the military Annexes of The General Framework Agreement for...
and Stabilization Force (SFOR)
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
.
On the civilian side he worked in various managerial level positions in Bosnia with the Department of States Train and Equip Program for the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
Army, and afterward with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Bosnia. In October 1998 he was selected to serve as a senior planner for the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
which he stayed with until evacuating from Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
to the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
in March 1999 for the duration of the NATO Air Campaign.
Following this assignment he returned to Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in a civilian status in order to serve as the Chief of Plans and Liaison for the newly established OSCE Mission to Kosovo. He was subsequently named by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo as the International Administrator of one of the Municipal Districts of Kosovo and later served on active duty as Deputy J9 at the Headquarters of KFOR in Pristina, Kosovo.
Service in Afghanistan and Iraq
Returning to the United States following the attacks of September 11th, 2001, he assumed Command of the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion located in Danbury, ConnecticutDanbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
. This was followed by study at the Army War College in 2003.
Following promotion to colonel and graduation he assumed command of the 360th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Jackson, South Carolina
Fort Jackson, South Carolina
Fort Jackson is a United States Army installation, which TRADOC operates on for Basic Combat Training , and is located in Columbia, South Carolina. This installation is named for Andrew Jackson, a United States Army General and 7th President of the United States.-Overview:Fort Jackson was created...
in July 2003, he subsequently mobilized and deployed to the Central Command Area of Operations as the Commander of the Combined Joint Civil Affairs Task Force (Task Force Victory) which provided all civil-military operations
Civil-military operations
Civil-military operations or CMO are activities of a military force to minimize civil interference on and maximize civil support for military operations to facilitate accomplishing the mission. CMO is conducted in conjunction with combat operations during wartime and becomes a central part of a...
throughout Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
from September 2004 to July 2005.
He was subsequently appointed to his current position as a Department of the Army civilian in order to serve as Operational Programs Oversight Officer for the Technology Management Office in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
. He was nominated and confirmed to the rank of brigadier general in November 2005 in order to assume his current position as Commander of the 353rd Civil Affairs Command in Staten Island, New York in December 2005.
In addition to his Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College, he holds advanced post-graduate degrees in Political Economy from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
, International Relations from Troy State University, and International Economics from St. Andrews University, as well as having completed graduate work at Oxford University, and the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
where he is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Political Science.
Most Recent Service in Afghanistan and Homeland Defense
In December 2008 he was selected and appointed to serve as a Senior Executive civilian government official as the assistant Inspector General for Inspections within the newly created Office of the Special Inspector general for Afghanistan Reconstruction. In this position he assisted in standing up this new congressionally created agency charged with reporting to the American people where over $50 billion dollars of reconstruction money has been spent in Afghanistan since 2001. This position took him throughout Afghanistan during 2009 and resulted in the publishing of numerous reports of inspections on various projects.In May 2010 he was selected to serve as the Deputy to the Commanding General of US Army North/Fifth Army at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas and appointed as a Tier-2 level member of the Senior Executive Service. He and his wife Valentina and their daughter, Maria-Margaret reside in San Antonio, Texas.
Awards and decorations
His awards include the Special Forces TabSpecial Forces Tab
The Special Forces Tab is a service school qualification tab of the United States Army, awarded to any soldier completing either the Special Forces Qualification Course, or the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course , at the U.S. Army John F...
, Combat Action Badge
Combat Action Badge
The Combat Action Badge is a military badge worn in the U.S. Army. The emblem features both an M9 bayonet and M67 grenade. The Combat Action Badge may be awarded to any soldier after the date of September 18, 2001 performing duties in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is...
, Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(1 OLC), Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
, Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
(1 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal (5 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (1 OLC), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (1 OLC), Army of Occupation Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany or Japan...
, National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
(1 OLC), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
, Kosovo Campaign Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal
The Kosovo Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces established by Executive Order 13154 of President Bill Clinton on May 3, 2000...
(2 OLC), Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...
, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
, Korean Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
The Armed Forces Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created on January 11, 1996 by President Bill Clinton under...
, Humanitarian Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
The Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...
(2 OLC), Army Service Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon
The Army Service Ribbon is a military decoration of the United States Army that was established by the Secretary of the Army on 10 April 1981 as announced in Department of the Army General Order 15, dated 10 October 1990....
, Overseas Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
An Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,...
, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, United Nationals Special Service Medal
United Nations Medal
The term United Nations Medal refers to one of several international decorations which are issued by the United Nations to the various militaries of the world for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and disaster relief...
(5 OLC), NATO Medal
NATO Medal
The NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization . It is manufactured by Eekelers - Centini, International, of Hemiksem, Belgium...
(2 OLC), Air Assault Badge
Air Assault Badge
The Air Assault Badge, pictured to the right, is awarded by the U.S. Army for successful completion of the Air Assault School, a two-week course. The course includes three phases of instruction involving U.S. Army rotary wing aircraft: combat air assault operations; rigging and slingload...
, and Parachutist Badge
Parachutist Badge
The Parachutist Badge or Parachutist Brevet is a military badge awarded by the Armed Forces of most countries in the world to soldiers who receive the proper parachute training and accomplish the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the first to introduce such award...
.