| H Steven Blum | |
|---|---|
Lieutenant General H Steven Blum, USA |
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| Born | October 13, 1946 Baltimore, Maryland |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1971-2010 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held |
29th Infantry Division (Light) |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Meritorious Service Medal (2) Army Commendation Medal (1) |
H Steven Blum (born on October 13, 1946) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. He last served as Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command, where he concurrently served as Vice Commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command from January 16, 2009 to May 21, 2010. Prior to that, Blum served as the 25th Chief of the National Guard Bureau from April 11, 2003 to November 17, 2008. He retired from the Army and the National Guard on May 21, 2010.
As Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command, Blum helped lead the command to anticipate, prepare, and respond to threats and aggression aimed at the United States, its territories, and interests within the assigned area of responsibility and, as directed by the President or Secretary of Defense, provided defense support of civil authorities including consequence management operations.
As Chief, National Guard Bureau, Blum was the senior uniformed National Guard of the United States officer responsible for formulating, developing, and coordinating all policies, programs, and plans affecting more than half a million federalized and nonfederalized Army National Guard and Air National Guard personnel. Appointed by the President, he served as the principal adviser to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Army, and the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force on all National Guard issues. As National Guard Bureau Chief, he served as the Army's and Air Force's official channel of communication with state governors and Adjutants General concerning state National Guards. Prior to serving as Chief, National Guard Bureau, Blum served as Chief of Staff, U.S. Northern Command.
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Blum was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and attended Forest Park High School, graduating in 1963. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Baltimore in 1968. Soon after graduating, Blum enlisted in the Maryland National Guard as a part-timer. His unit was almost immediately activated in response to riots that flared up in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Of this time, Blum would later recall that "he heard more shots fired in the weeks he worked downtown Baltimore's streets than during any of his other deployments - at home or abroad."[1]
For a short time, Blum taught U.S. History at Pimlico Junior High School before a full-time slot with the Guard became available in 1971. He received a Master of Science degree in social science from Morgan State College in 1973.
Blum received his commission from Officer Candidate School on August 28, 1971, graduating with honors. Since then, he has commanded at every level, including a Special Forces Operational Detachment-A, a Light Infantry Battalion, an Infantry Brigade, a Division Support Command, and twice as the Commanding General of the 29th Infantry Division (Light), MNG. Prior to this, Blum also served as Assistant Adjutant General for the Maryland Army National Guard, and Assistant Division Commander (Support), for the 29th ID. General Blum also served as the Commanding General for Multinational Division (North) Stabilization Force 10 in Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia Herzegovina in 2001.
During his tenure at SFOR, Blum received high marks for his military and diplomatic ability to command and coordinate multiple units of various nations. In his last work, To America: Personal Reflections of an Historian, the late historian Steven Ambrose compared Blum favorably to Dwight Eisenhower in 1945 when the latter was also 55 years old.[2]
Following his retirement, Blum took up a position as managing director and group practice leader of the Sitrick Brincko Group in 2010.[3]
On July 18, 2006, Blum made controversial remarks about atheist and agnostic soldiers while addressing an NAACP convention. Blum said "Agnostics, atheists and bigots suddenly lose all that when their life is on the line....Something that they lived their whole life believing gets thrown out the door, and they grasp the comrade next to them, and they don’t care what color their skin is, and they don’t care when they pray".[4] Atheists and agnostics objected to Blum's equating their lack of religious belief to bigotry and his paraphrased repetition of the "no atheists in foxholes" assertion. Several atheist organizations complained and called for an apology.[5] Additionally, several soldiers filed formal equal opportunity complaints and at least one officer resigned his commission over Blum's alleged bigotry and alleged illegal handling of formal EO complaints.[6][7] Blum never apologized for his remarks and the Department of the Army Inspector Generals Office concluded that "Blum's remarks, though perhaps insensitive, did not rise to the level of an offense".[8]
2nd Lieutenant ARNG 28 August 1971
1st Lieutenant ARNG 28 August 1972
Captain ARNG 3 September 1974
Major ARNG 8 September 1978
Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 1 October 1982
Colonel ARNG 3 January 1989
Brigadier General (LINE) 1 August 1996
Major General (LINE) 1 February 2000
Lieutenant General (LINE) 13 April 2003
Note: LINE signifies that he was serving in the reserve of the United States Army while in rank.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by MG Raymond F. Rees (acting) |
Chief of the National Guard Bureau 2003 - 2008 |
Succeeded by GEN Craig R. McKinley |