Colonel Anthony S. Leal

About

Anthony S. Leal, representing the US Army National Guard, is a national security affairs fellow for the academic year 2015–2016 at the Hoover Institution.

Colonel Leal is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College Intermediate Level Education, the Combined Arms Service Staff School, the Adjutant Course Advanced Course, the Air Defense Artillery Officers Advance Course, the Air Defense Artillery Officers Basic Course; he also received a Military Occupational Specialty in the Military Police. Leal also has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of New Mexico and a master’s degree in education administration from Arizona State University. Colonel Leal began his military career with the US Army and has commanded at every level. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2008 on a sixteen-member embedded training team. He served as the deputy regional corps advisory commander for Afghanistan-West; in 2012 he completed battalion command of the 515th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. Colonel Leal’s branch was transferred to the Adjutants Corps; he has been the New Mexico National Guard’s director of personnel and human resources for the past two years. Colonel Leal’s numerous awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (two), Army Commendation Medal (four), Army Achievement Medal (four), Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Ribbon, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal.