Brigadier General James C. Lettko

Deputy Commander

Brigadier General Lettko serves as the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

BG Lettko earned his commission in 1984 through the Clarkson University Reserve Officer Training Program in Potsdam, New York. He entered active duty attending the engineer officer basic course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia with follow-on assignments as a Platoon Leader 503d Engineer Company (Combat Support Equipment) followed by an assignment with the Director of Engineering and Housing (DEH), Headquarters, VII (US) Corps near Stuttgart Germany.

BG Lettko left active duty in 1987 to join the New York Army National Guard where he served in a variety of combat support and engineer unit command and staff positions including Commander HHC 221st Engineer Group, Commander HHD Engineer Brigade/42d Infantry Division, S3 152d Engineer Battalion, S3 Engineer Brigade/42d Infantry Division, Commander 152d Engineer Battalion, Executive Officer Engineer Brigade/42d Infantry Division.

In 2005, he deployed to north central Iraq with the Engineer Brigade 42d Infantry Division and led the Division’s infrastructure reconstruction efforts focusing on Iraqi strategic infrastructure security and improvement. Subsequent to his deployment in 2005, BG Lettko served as Director of the New York Army National Guard Personnel Directorate (G1) and the Army Chief of Staff for the Joint Forces Headquarters – New York.

Concurrent to these assignments, he earned a Masters Degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. BG Lettko has participated in most domestic operations affecting New York State since 1995 ranging from weather events to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and hurricane Irene in September 2011.

BG Lettko’s awards and include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and various campaign, service and unit awards.