Major General James M. Link assumed command of MICOM on June 23, 1994. A veteran of Vietnam and Desert Storm, MG Link has held numerous command and staff positions leading to his current assignment. Most recently, he was the Deputy Commander, 21st Theater Army Command, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army. Prior to that he had been MICOM Deputy Commanding General during 1992 and until June 1993. He also served at MICOM from 1986-89 as Director of Materiel Management Directorate in what is now the Integrated Materiel Management Center, and served as the acting director of this organization for eight months.
As Commanding General of MICOM, he directs a work force of approximately 7,200 civilians and 800 military personnel responsible for research, development, engineering, acquisition and logistics support of Army missile and rocket systems; test, measurement, and diagnostic equipment; and DOD/AMC automation system development. He also commands Redstone Arsenal, the historic 38,000 acre home of the Army missile program.
Major General Link was born in Columbus, Ohio, but grew up in North Carolina. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps in 1967 after completing undergraduate work at Methodist College and graduate work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also has a Master's Degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee. His military education includes the Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
He has held varied logistical and staff assignments. While Commander, 16th Corps Support Group, V Corps, Hanau, Germany, he deployed to Southwest Asia in support of VII Corps during Operations Desert Shield and Storm. He has been Deputy for Training Developments, U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command; Chief, Ordnance Assignment Branch, MILPERCEN; Commander, 194th Maintenance Battalion, Camp Humphreys, Korea; and DA Staff Officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics. In Vietnam, he served as Company Commander and Technical Supply Officer, 173rd Airborne Brigade. General Link furled the MICOM flag and relinquished Command on 1 7 July 1997.
General Link's awards and decorations include Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal, Senior Army Parachute Badge, and the Army General Staff Identification Badge.