Mr. Joel G. Himsl became the deputy garrison commander for the US Army Garrison, Rock Island Arsenal following a 30 year military career in the U.S. Army and service at the Arsenal’s garrison manager.
In his role as Garrison Manager he is responsible for leading base operations activities including; public works; logistics; morale, welfare and recreation; safety, resource management, and force protection along with a host of community support functions. He has extensive installation management experience including assignments as Commander, US Army Garrison Fort Monmouth, NJ; Commander USAG Fort Leonard Wood, Mo; Executive Officer for the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management; and most recently as Deputy Director, Northwest Region, Installation Management Command.
His broad military experience includes three assignments to the Pentagon where he served on the Army staff as a Congressional Activities Officer and Assistant to the Director of Army Staff; speechwriter for Chief of Staff of the Army and Executive Officer to the ACSIM. He also served as the chief of an Antiterrorism-Force Protection Team for the US Central Command in Saudi Arabia; Chief of the Antiterrorism-Force Protection cell for the Multi-National Corps-Iraq; battalion and brigade operations officer, and various other significant Military Police Corps assignments.
Himsl earned numerous awards and decorations during his military career including the Legion of Merit the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.
A native of Minnesota, he attended St. John's University, Collegeville, MN, where he earned a bachelor of arts in History. Mr. Himsl attended numerous professional military schools and is a graduate of both the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.
