Brigadier General Merrel William Yocum, USANG (Retired)

A Biography

BG Yocum 

 Brigadier General Merrel William Yocum

Brigadier General Merrel W. Yocum assumed duties as Deputy Commander (Support), 28th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Pennsylvania Army National Guard on 12 October 2003. As Deputy Commander, he supervised all combat support and combat service support units in the 28th Infantry Division.

The general’s military career began in 1966 when he enlisted in the Navy.   He served in Vietnam as a Petty Officer Second Class Quartermaster on a Swift Boat in the Mekong Delta.   Brigadier General Yocum was commissioned through the Officer Candidate School Fort Benning, Georgia in 1976.   After commissioning, he served as an Air Defense Artillery Officer in the Ohio Army National Guard.   The General joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in November of 1980.   He served in several positions with the 1-110th Infantry including Company Commander, Personnel Officer, Logistics Officer,   Operations and Training Officer, and Executive Officer. He was selected as Commander of the 1-112th Infantry in 1991.   While with the battalion, he supervised its transition and reorganization to a Mechanized Infantry Unit.   General Yocum graduated from the Army War College Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania in June 1997 and assumed command of 2nd Brigade.   General Yocum was assigned as the Chief of Staff, 28th Infantry Division in 2000.   While in this position, he deployed as Chief of Staff, Task Force Eagle SFOR12 Rotation.


EDUCATION:

Wheeling Jesuit College - BS - Human Resource Management
Shippensburg University - MPA - Master Public Administration 

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Dec 76 - Nov 77, Assistant Platoon Leader, Battery C (-), 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery, Cambridge, Ohio
2. Nov 77 - Nov 80, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery, Steubenville, Ohio
3. Nov 80 - Jan 83, Company Commander, Company B (-), 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry, Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania
4. Jan 83 - May 83, S1, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry, Scottdale, Pennsylvania
5. May 83 - Oct 86, Company Commander, Company A (-), 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry, Scottdale, Pennsylvania
6. Oct 86 - Nov 87, S4, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry, Scottdale, Pennsylvania
7. Nov 87 - Dec 90, Executive Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry, Scottdale, Pennsylvania
8. Dec 90 - Oct 91, S3, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry, Scottdale, Pennsylvania
9. Oct 91 - Jun 96, Battalion Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry, Erie, Pennsylvania
10. Jun 96 - Jun 97, Additional Position, Headquarters State Area Command (-), Annville, Pennsylvania
11. Jun 97 - Jun 00, Brigade Commander, 2nd Brigade, 28th Infantry Division, Washington, Pennsylvania
12. Jun 00 - Jul 02, Chief of Staff, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 28th Infantry Division, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
13. Aug 02 - Apr 03, Chief of Staff, Task Force Eagle, SFOR 12, Tuzla, Bosnia.
14. Apr 03 - Oct 03, Chief of Staff, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 28th Infantry Division, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
15. Oct 03 - Present, Deputy Commander (Support), 28th Infantry Division, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Achievement Medal
Navy Achievement Medal (with “V” Device)
Navy Combat Action Ribbon
Navy Good Conduct Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (with Bronze Service Star and “M” Device)
Vietnam Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
Global War On Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass and “M” Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserves Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
NATO Medal
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (with 60 Device)
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (with Palm)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation (with Palm)