Brig. Gen. James Pabis is the Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Vermont Army National Guard. In this position, he is responsible for overall readiness of assigned Vermont Army National Guard units, mentors subordinate commanders and staff directors, and oversees the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), the 124th Regional Training Institute, and Garrison Support Command. He also implements Vermont Army National Guard recruiting and retention programs and initiatives, with a focus on increasing overall accessions. In addition, he is a voting member of the Board of Armory Commissioners.
General Pabis has more than 30 years of uniformed commissioned service: 10 years with the United States Army Reserve and 19 years with the New York Army National Guard, and has recently transferred to the Vermont Army National Guard. He has commanded at the company, detachment, battalion and brigade levels as well as numerous staff positions. He deployed to Baghdad from September 2006 - August 2007, serving as the Detachment Commander, 272nd Military Police Detachment, 16th MP Brigade, Task Force 134 (Detainee Operations). He has led or been part of multiple state activations including Sept. 11 Ground Zero, Hurricane Irene, Superstorm Sandy, Polar Vortex, June Floods, and COVID-19 Response.
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Commendation Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star
Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars
Armed Forces Service Medal with Silver Hourglass and M Device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Combat Action Badge
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
Masters of Business Administration, Sage Graduate School, Albany, New York
Masters of Strategic Studies, Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania