Major General Curtis D. Taylor

Commanding General, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss

Maj. Gen. Curt Taylor assumed duties as the Commander of the 1st Armored Division and the Senior Commander of Fort Bliss, Texas, in July 2024.

Maj. Gen. Taylor graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in May 1994 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Armor branch. Over the last twenty-five years, he has served in various command and staff positions in Armored, Cavalry, and Infantry formations up through division level. His combat service includes two tours in Afghanistan and two tours in Iraq.

In 2010, Maj. Gen. Taylor commanded 3rd Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment in Grafenwoehr, Germany, and deployed with it to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Following battalion command, he served as the Brigade Senior Trainer at the JMRC in Hohenfels, Germany. Following senior service college, he served as the Director of the Commander's Initiatives Group at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, focused on the development of innovative approaches to talent management and leader development across the Army. In that capacity, he also served as the Director of Strategic Assessment for the CSA 39 Transition Team in 2015.

From 2015 to 2017, Maj. Gen. Taylor commanded the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Carson, Colorado, which transformed during his command into a Reconnaissance and Security Brigade Combat Team and executed a series of exercises to demonstrate the ability of a brigade combat team to perform the traditional roles of operational cavalry on the 21st century battlefield.

Following brigade command, Maj. Gen. Taylor served as the Chief of Staff of Fort Riley, Kansas, and the 1st Infantry Division, where he oversaw the deployment of multiple combat brigades to Europe and execution of a large-scale Warfighter exercise

From June 2019 to April 2021, Maj. Gen. Taylor activated and commanded the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, consisting of specially selected and uniquely trained combat advisors who deployed across the INDOPACOM area of operations.

From April 2021 to June 2024, Maj. Gen. Taylor served as the Commanding General of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California, for 28 rotations, where he oversaw the NTC’s adaptation to Multi-Domain Operations with two division-level rotations, two major Capstone experiments by Army Futures command and sustained changes to the training environment to keep pace with lessons from conflicts in Europe and Israel.

Maj. Gen. Taylor has two master’s degrees in security studies.

Command Sergeant Major James L. Light

Command Sergeant Major, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss

Command Sgt. Maj. James L. Light enlisted in the Army on Nov. 14, 1996, and attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Light has held every leadership position, from tank gunner to brigade command sergeant major. Additionally, he has served as a battalion master gunner, brigade equal opportunity advisor, and senior military science instructor. Most recently, he served as the command sergeant major for 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry; 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division; the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade; and the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center.

His stateside assignments include Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Moore (known as Fort Benning prior to 2023) , Georgia; Fort Cavazos (known as Fort Hood prior to 2023), Texas; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; University of North Georgia; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Fort Novosel (known as Fort Rucker prior to 2023), Alabama. His overseas assignments include Korea and Germany. His deployments include Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq (2), Afghanistan (2), and Regionally Aligned Force missions to Korea and Eastern Europe.

Light's military and civilian education include all levels of NCOPDS, the M1A1 Master Gunner Course, the Equal Opportunity Management Course, the Air Assault Course, the Instructor Course, and the Master Resiliency Trainer Course. He also holds an associate degree in applied technologies from Central Texas College.

Light's awards and decorations include most notably the Legion of Merit (2nd award), the Bronze Star Medal (3rd award), the Meritorious Service Medal (6th award), the Army Commendation Medal (3rd award), the Army Achievement Medal (5th award), the Combat Action Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

Brigadier Andrew Ridland

Deputy Commanding General - Maneuver, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss

After graduating from Edinburgh University, Andrew Ridland commissioned into The Royal Green Jackets in 2000 and spent his early career specialising in both armoured and light-role infantry, seeing active service in Bosnia, Northern Ireland and two tours of Iraq. Away from the Regiment he served as ADC to GOC 5 Div and as a G3 officer in the Operations Centre of the Army Headquarters.

Following Staff College, he spent two years in the Ministry of Defence working in Army Resources and Plans, where he was heavily involved in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. He then commanded A Company 3 Rifles, which included an operational deployment to Afghanistan on Op Herrick 16, before taking over as Chief of Staff 20th Armoured Brigade in Germany. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, he attended the Joint Forces Staff College in the United States, before returning to the Ministry of Defence as Military Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations). He then commanded 5 Rifles, an Armoured Infantry Battlegroup, which included leading the first multi-national NATO Battlegroup in Estonia on Op Cabrit 1 in 2017. On promotion to the General Staff, he served as Colonel Army Plans in the Ministry of Defence, conducting the 2020 Defence Review, before assuming the role of AH Org in the Strategic Centre of the Army Headquarters, responsible for implementing the structural changes to the British Army under Future Soldier.

He is a graduate of both U.K. and U.S. Staff Colleges, having attended the Joint Advanced Warfare School in Norfolk and has a master’s degree in Strategy and Joint Campaign Planning.

Colonel Paul T. Krattiger

Deputy Commanding General - Operations, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss

Paul Krattiger is an Armor Officer commissioned in 1997 from the United States Military Academy at West Point. His command assignments include Tank and Scout Platoon Leader, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood (known as Fort Cavazos since April 2023), Texas, and Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ground Cavalry Troop Commander, C Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany, and Iraq; and Commander, 1st Battalion, 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, 2nd ABCT, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood and the Republic of Korea.

Col. Krattiger’s company-grade staff assignments include Company Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood; Squadron Adjutant and Assistant Operations Officer, 1st Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division.

COL Krattiger’s field-grade staff assignments include Instructor and later Assistant Professor, Department of Systems Engineering, United States Military Academy; Executive Officer, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, and BCT Executive Officer, 2nd BCT, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado, and Kandahar, Afghanistan. His most recent assignment was as the Executive Officer for the Army Vice Chief of Staff in the Pentagon.

He currently serves as the Deputy Commanding Officer for Support for the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas.

COL Krattiger is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Courses; the Scout Platoon Leader and Cavalry Leaders Courses; Combined Arms Service and Staff School; the Command and General Staff College; and the Army War College Fellowship at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. His Bachelor of Science degree is in Economics, and he has a Master of Engineering Management from Northwestern University.

COL Krattiger’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Badge, and Army Parachutist Badge.

Colonel David A. Norris

Chief of Staff, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss

Col. Dave Norris assumed duties as the Chief of Staff, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, Texas, in July 2023.

Col. Norris was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1999 after graduating from Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning (known as Fort Moore since April 2023), Georgia.

In 1999, he was assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, serving as Platoon Leader, Battery Fire Direction Officer, Battery Executive Officer, Battalion Fire Direction Officer, and Assistant S3, in 75th FA Brigade. In 2003, he assumed command of Mobile Exploitation Team Charlie, 75th Exploitation Task Force.

From 2004-2008, he served as Assistant S-3, Squadron Fire Support Officer, and Battery Commander assigned to 3rd ABCT, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Cavazos (known as Fort Hood prior to 2023), Texas.

In 2008, he served as a Small Group Leader at the Field Artillery Captains Career Course, Fort Sill.

From 2010-2014, he served as Brigade Fire Support Officer, Battalion S3, Battalion XO, and Brigade XO, 3rd ABCT, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Cavazos.

In 2014, assigned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, he served as a Joint Fires and Targeting Planner for the Joint Planning Support Element, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command.

In 2016, Col. Norris assumed command of 4-27 FA, 2nd ABCT, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

In 2018, COL Norris assumed command of 4th Battalion, 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade, Fort Liberty (known as Fort Bragg prior to 2023), North Carolina.

In 2020, a distinguished graduate of the United States Army War College, he subsequently assumed command of 75th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Sill.

COL Norris holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Northern Iowa, a Master of Arts from Webster University, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. He is a graduate of the Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College.

COL Norris’s combat deployments include six tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (4 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLC), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), the Iraq Campaign Medal (4 Campaign Stars), the Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, the NATO Medal, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.