Leon E. Salomon

General Leon E. Salomon (born 27 April 1936) is a retired United States Army general who served as Chief of Ordnance of the United States Army from 1986 to 1988.

Leon E. Salomon
General Leon E. Salomon
Born	April 27, 1936 Chicago, Illinois
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1959–1996
Rank	General
Commands held	United States Army Materiel Command United States Army Combined Arms Support Command Chief of Ordnance 21st Support Command 19th Maintenance Battalion
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Air Medal (3)
Other work	Board of directors, GRC International Vice president, Rubbermaid Board of directors, ATC Materials, Inc.

Early life

Salomon was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 27 April 1936. On completion of Infantry Officer Candidate School he was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1959. Salomon has Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and biology from the University of Florida and a Master of Science degree in management logistics from the United States Air Force Institute of Technology. His military education includes the Chemical Officer Advanced Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Military career

Following three years as an infantry officer, Salomon transferred to the Chemical Corps in 1962. Following assignments as a Chemical School instructor and responsibility for an inventory control point in Orléans, France, he became involved in his first assignment with leveraging technology as Chief of the Automated Logistics Tests for the Division Logistics Systems at Fort Hood, Texas. After graduation from the Command and General Staff College (1969), a tour in Vietnam (1969–70), and graduate studies in logistics management at the Air Force Institute of Technology, he was again put to work developing automation systems to support logistics.

In 1974, Salomon transferred to the Ordnance Corps and became Commander of the 19th Maintenance Battalion, 3rd Support Command, in Geisen, Germany. He later became Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics for the 3rd Armored Division, in Frankfurt.

Following graduation from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1978, Salomon was assigned to the Office of the Army Chief of Staff as the Chief of the Commercial Industrial Type Activity Team. In 1980, he became the Director of Combat Services Support Systems. He became involved in the drafting of the new proponency regulation that resulted in the recreation of the branch chief concept for Combat Service Support Branches. The end result was the re-establishment of the position of Chief of Ordnance and the rebirth of the Ordnance Corps under the Army Regimental Concept.

Salomon next went on to command the Division Support Command for the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. Following his tour there, he became the Deputy Commanding General, 21st Support Command, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army in Kaisersaluten, Germany.

Following his promotion to brigadier general in 1986, Salomon was named the 23rd Chief of Ordnance and Commandant of the United States Army Ordnance Center and School at Aberdeen Proving Ground. During his two-year tenure, he worked to improve the training, doctrine and evaluation programs at the Ordnance School. He encouraged faculty and staff to take a teacher-mentor-counselor approach in the training process, to stress proficiency at all levels, and to place more emphasis on "hands-on" activity in the training process. He stressed improvements in competence for all officers, warrant officers and enlisted personnel, and improved the quality and extent of career development guidance.[1]

Salomon's next key assignments included Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army Materiel Command (1988–89), Deputy Commanding General for Logistics U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia, Deputy Commanding General for Combined Arms Support, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and Commanding General, United States Army Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee, Fort Lee, Virginia, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of the Army. His career culminated as Commanding General, United States Army Materiel Command, from 11 February 1994 to 27 March 1996.

Awards and decorations

	Expert Infantryman Badge
	Basic Army Aviation Badge
	Army Staff Identification Badge
	Army Ordnance Corps Distinctive Unit Insignia
	? Overseas Service Bars

	Army Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Legion of Merit
	Bronze Star Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Air Medal with bronze award numeral 3
	Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
	Army Good Conduct Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
	Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars
	Army Service Ribbon
	Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 3
	Vietnam Hazardous Service Medal
	Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st class
	Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr in gold (Germany)
	Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
	Vietnam Campaign Medal

• Salomon is the 1ST recipient of the United States Army Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe.[2] Salomon retired from the army in 1996.

Later life

Since retiring, Salomon was elected to the GRC International Board of Directors.[3] He also works as a logistics consultant and is affiliated with Gary A. Dunbar, Inc.[4] From 1996 to 1998, he was vice president for procurement and logistics for Rubbermaid and senior vice president for procurement at Rubbermaid from 1998 to 1999. He is on the board of directors for Global Security Management,[5] ATC Materials, Inc. and Eagle Systems and Services, Inc,[6] a wholly owned subsidiary of The Columbia Group.[7]

Salomon now lives in Gulfport, Florida, with his wife Shirley, two sons Greg and Jeff Salomon, and daughter Kristen Salomon.

Notes

1. Sterling, Keir (1992). Serving the Line with Excellence 1775–1992. U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Historical Studies. pp. 74–75.
2. http://usaoca.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Samuel-Sharpe-Recipients_2018-MARCH.pdf
3. "Gen. Leon E. Salomon U.S. Army, Ret., Elected To GRC International Board of Directors". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
4. General Leon Salomon, Logistics Consultant – Affiliate of Gary A. Dunbar, Inc.
5. Global Security Management Global Security Management bio
6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

References

•  This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document: "".