General Peggy Combs was commissioned a Regular Army second lieutenant in the United States Army Chemical Corps in May 1985, as a distinguished military graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. Throughout her 31-year service tenure, General Combs has served in a variety of leadership and staff positions at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels.
Tactical assignments include a myriad of diverse staff officer positions at the battalion, brigade, and division level, in the 2nd Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart, Georgia, and at the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Command assignments include Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Commander, 84th Chemical Battalion, and Commander 3rd Chemical Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. General Combs served at the joint operational level as the Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Operations Officer during Operation Enduring Freedom, for the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), MacDill AFB, Florida, and as the Chief of Staff for the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission, United States Forces-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq. Strategic level assignments include duty at the National Ground Intelligence Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, and as the Chief, Full Dimension Protection Division, DCS G8, US Army Pentagon, Washington, DC. General Officer assignments include the Deputy Commanding General, US Army Cadet Command (ROTC) and Fort Knox, Fort Knox, Kentucky, the 27th Chief of Chemical and Commandant, US Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Acting Commanding General, US Army Training Center and Fort Jackson, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. As a Major General, she served as the Commander of the US Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox, Kentucky, and currently serves as the Chief of Staff, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
General Combs’ military education includes the US Army Command and General Staff College, and the US Army War College. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Syracuse University, a Master of Science Degree from Saint Mary College, and a Master of Strategic Arts Degree from the US Army War College.
General Combs’ awards and decorations include the Army Legion of Merit (two oak leaf clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal (five oak leaf clusters), the Joint Service Achievement Medal (one oak leaf cluster), the Army Commendation Medal (three oak leaf clusters), the Army Achievement Medal (one oak leaf cluster), the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.