Walter E. Fountain

Walter E. Fountain (born November 7, 1961) is a United States Army Brigadier General who has served as Assistant Adjutant General of the Oklahoma National Guard. In 2013 he served as acting Deputy Director of the Army National Guard.

Early life
Walter Emery Fountain was born in Prague, Oklahoma on November 7, 1961. He enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard in 1980, and was trained as a UH-1 helicopter mechanic.

Start of military career
In 1981 he completed Officer Candidate School and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. Fountain later became qualified in the Aviation branch and advanced through several command and staff assignments. He became a full time member of the National Guard in 1986. His command positions included: Company C, 1st Battalion 245th Aviation Regiment, Lexington, Oklahoma (1991-1994); Airfield, Headquarters, State Area Command, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1994-1996); Army Aviation Support Facility, Headquarters, State Area Command, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1996-1997); 1st Battalion, 245th Aviation, Tulsa, Oklahoma (2001-2003); and 90th Troop Command, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (2003-2005).

Fountain is a veteran of the Iraq War, having served as Chief of National Guard Affairs for Multi-National Corps – Iraq at Camp Victory, Baghdad from 2008 to 2009.

Career as a general officer
In November, 2011 Fountain was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned as the Oklahoma National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General – Army. He served in this position until July, 2012 when he was appointed a Special Assistant to the Director of the Army National Guard.

Fountain served as acting Deputy Director of the Army National Guard in 2013, following the departure of Timothy J. Kadavy for an assignment in Afghanistan and prior to the arrival of Kadavy’s replacement, Judd H. Lyons.

Education
In 1996 Fountain completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Sciences at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, New Jersey. He received a Master of Science degree in Natural and Applied Sciences from Oklahoma State University in 1998. In 2002 Fountain graduated from the United States Army War College with a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies.

In addition to the Army War College, Fountain’s military education includes: the Infantry Officer Basic Course; Aviation Officer Advanced Course; Air Assault School; Airborne School; United States Army Command and General Staff College; Joint Air Command and Control Course; Joint and Combined Warfighting Course; and Joint Task Force Commanders Course.

Fountain has also completed executive-level seminars and similar education, to include: Level IV Antiterrorism Executive Seminar; General Officer/Senior Executive Service Force Integration Course; National Security Management Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University; and George C. Marshall Center Senior Executive Seminar, Central Asia After ISAF Transition.

Family
Fountain has been married to the former Elizabeth Ann Thompson since 2007. Mrs. Fountain graduated from Oklahoma State University, where she was a sorority sister of Governor Mary Fallin.

Awards

 * Bronze Star Medal
 * Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Bronze *Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Army Commendation Medal
 * Army Achievement Medal
 * Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
 * Iraq Campaign Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
 * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
 * Humanitarian Service Medal
 * Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass Device and 'M' Device)
 * Joint Meritorious Unit Award
 * Army Service Ribbon
 * Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (with Bronze Numeral 2)
 * Army Master Aviator Badge
 * Parachutist Badge
 * Air Assault Badge

Assignments

 * 1) December 1981 - November 1982, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, Company A, 1st Battalion 179th Infantry, Fairfax, Oklahoma
 * 2) November 1982 - July 1983, Student, Rotary Wing Aviation Course, Fort Rucker, Alabama
 * 3) July 1983 - March 1986, Pilot, Detachment 2, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 45th Infantry Brigade, Lexington, Oklahoma
 * 4) April 1986 - September 1987, Section Commander, Detachment 1, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 45th Infantry Brigade, Lexington, Oklahoma
 * 5) September 1987 - February 1989, S-1, Troop Command (Aviation), Lexington, Oklahoma
 * 6) February 1989 - September 1991, Platoon Leader, Company B, 1st Battalion 245th Aviation, Lexington, Oklahoma
 * 7) October 1991 - September 1994, Commander, Company C, 1st Battalion 245th Aviation, Lexington, Oklahoma
 * 8) September 1994 - August 1996, Airfield Commander, Headquarters, State Area Command, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 * 9) September 1996 - August 1997, Commander, Army Aviation Support Facility, Headquarters, State Area Command, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 * 10) September 1997 - August 2001, S-3 (Air), Headquarters, State Area Command, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 * 11) September 2001 - August 2003, Commander, 1st Battalion, 245th Aviation, Tulsa, Oklahoma
 * 12) September 2003 - June 2005, Commander, 90th Troop Command, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 * 13) July 2005 - November 2008, Director, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 * 14) November 2008 - June 2009, Chief, National Guard Affairs, Multi-National Corps - Baghdad, Iraq
 * 15) June 2009 - November 2011, Director, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 * 16) November 2011 - July 2012, Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Joint Force Headquarters, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 * 17) July 2012 – Present, Special Assistant to Director, Army National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia

Effective dates of promotions

 * Brigadier General, November 8, 2011
 * Colonel, September 11, 2003
 * Lieutenant Colonel, October 10, 1996
 * Major, December 4, 1991
 * Captain, April 2, 1987
 * First Lieutenant, December 2, 1984
 * Second Lieutenant, December 3, 1981