Illinois Army National Guard Colonel to receive promotion

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Army National Guard announced Jan. 16 that Col. Eric Little of Springfield, Illinois, was selected to serve as the National Guard Bureau Deputy Director of Programs, Analysis and Evaluations and will be promoted to brigadier general.

Little has served as the Illinois Army National Guard's Chief of Staff since March 2016.

"Eric is supremely qualified for both promotion to brigadier general and the appointment to a key position in Washington D.C.," said Maj. Gen. Richard J. Hayes, the Illinois National Guard Adjutant General. "His leadership as the Chief of Staff, and previously as the United States Property and Fiscal Officer put the Illinois Army National Guard among the top states in personnel, accountability and mission readiness."

Little will assume his new position Jan. 22. In his new role, he will develop capabilities, assess plans and programs, integrate National Guard participation in DoD and joint strategic resource processes, develop resource execution policy, oversee joint programs during domestic operations, and implement National Guard Bureau joint staff in strategic performance management.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with the men and women of the Illinois National Guard," Little said. "I look forward to taking the experiences gained here in Illinois to National Guard Bureau where they will help address challenges at the national level. I'm thankful for all the great mentors and colleagues in the Illinois National Guard and know that I would never have been promoted to general officer without their help and guidance."

Little will be promoted to brigadier general Jan. 19. He joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 1989 and commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992. He has commanded at the company, battalion and brigade level and held several key staff positions. Little deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005 and to Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009.

Col. Joseph Schweickert of Peoria, Illinois, will replace Little as the Illinois Army National Guard Chief of Staff.

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