Brigadier General Tanya Trout - Texas Military Department

Brigadier General Tanya Trout serves as the Director of the Joint Staff for the Texas Military Department. As the Director of the Joint Staff, she is responsible for the joint staff planning and execution of organizational guidance; component synchronization across the agency; and interagency coordination with State and Federal partners to prepare for emergencies, to include manmade or natural disasters, and federal military mobilizations.

General Trout graduated from Arizona State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and received a commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps as a Signal Corps officer in the United States Army. She joined the Texas Army National Guard in 2002 where she has served in a variety of assignments, to include Signal Officer/S6, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team; Political-Military Planner, Deputy Directorate for Political Military Affairs – Africa, J5, Joint Staff, Pentagon; G6, 36th Infantry Division; Commander, 136th Expeditionary Signal Battalion; Director of Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE)/ Joint Cyber Training Enterprise (JCTE), J7, United States Cyber Command; and Commander, 71st Theater Information Operations Group. General Trout received a Master of Science degree in Government Information Leadership from the College of Information and Cyberspace, National Defense University and is Dual Status Commander qualified. Prior to her current position, General Trout served as Chief of the Joint Staff for the Texas Military Department.

BG Tanya Trout Director of Joint Staff

EDUCATION

1996 Bachelor of Science degree in biology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
1996 Signal Officer Basic Course, Fort Gordon, Ga.
2006 Signal Officer Advanced Course, Fort Gordon, Ga.
2013 Command & General Staff Officer Course, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2019 Master of Science degree in Government Information Leadership, College of Information and Cyberspace, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2019 Senior Service College, College of Information and Cyber Space, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2022 Joint Task Force Commander Training Course, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2023 Dual Status Commander Orientation Course, Peterson SFB, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2024 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2025 Senior Leader Development Seminar, Washington DC

ASSIGNMENTS

1. November 1996 – September 1997, Platoon Leader, A Company, 13th Signal Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas
2. October 1997 – August 1998, Executive Officer, A Company, 13th Signal Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas
3. August 1998 – March 2000, Adjutant/S1, 13th Signal Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas
4. March 2000 – September 2001, Telephone Control Officer, G6, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas
5. September 2001 – February 2002, USAR Control Group (Reinforcement), St. Louis, Mo.
6. February 2002 – December 2003, Company Commander, A Company, 249th Signal Battalion, 49th Armor Division, Dallas, Texas
7. December 2003 – October 2006, Company Commander, A Company, 536th Signal Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, Waxahachie, Texas
8. November 2006 – May 2007, Assistant S3, 56th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Fort Worth, Texas
9. May 2007 – November 2009, Signal Officer/S6, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Fort Worth, Texas
10. November 2009 – September 2010, Political-Military Planner, Deputy Directorate for Political Military Affairs – Africa, J5, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. September 2010 – April 2011, Signal Officer/S6, 71st Theater Information Operations Group, Austin, Texas
12. May 2011 – February 2012, Signal Officer/ G-6 Rear, 36th Infantry Division, Austin, Texas
13. March 2012 – September 2013, Garrison Executive Officer, 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Austin, Texas
14. September 2013 –May 2014, Signal Officer/G-6, 36th Infantry Division, Austin, Texas
15. June 2014 – June 2016, Battalion Commander, 136th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, Houston, Texas
16. June 2016 – July 2018, Signal Officer/G-6, 36th Infantry Division, Austin, Texas
17. July 2018 – June 2019, Resident, College of Information and Cyberspace, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
18. July 2019 – July 2020, Director of Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE)/ Joint Cyber Training Enterprise (JCTE), J7, United States Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Md.
19. July 2020 – July 2022, Brigade Commander, 71st Theater Information Operations Group/Texas Military Department & J6/CIO (ADOS), Austin, Texas
20. July 2022 – March 2023, Chief of the Joint Staff, Texas Military Department & J6/CIO (ADOS), Austin, Texas
21. April 2023 – Present, Director of the Joint Staff, Texas Military Department, Austin, Texas

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. November 2009 – September 2010, Political-Military Planner, Deputy Directorate for Political Military Affairs – Africa, J5, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
2. July 2019 – July 2020, Director of Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE)/ Joint Cyber Training Enterprise (JCTE), J7, United States Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Md.
3. April 2023 – Present, Director of the Joint Staff, Texas Military Department, Austin, Texas

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES

Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star
Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal with “M” device and silver hourglass
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral three
NATO Medal with bronze service star
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Parachutist Badge
Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal
Texas Federal Service Medal with bronze star
Texas Humanitarian Service Medal
Texas Combat Service Ribbon with bronze star
Texas Governor’s Unit Citation

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES

Second Lieutenant May 11, 1996
First Lieutenant April 16, 1998
Captain May 1, 2000
Major October 9, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2013
Colonel October 11, 2018
Brigadier General August 11, 2023

(Current as of February 2025)

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