Commanding General, Eighth Army - Chief of Staff, Combined Forces Command

Lieutenant General Michael A. Bills, a native of New York, received his commission in December 1983 through the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program at George Mason University. Lieutenant General Bills holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Masters of Strategic Studies. His military education includes the Armor Officer Basic and Advance Courses and is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College.

Lieutenant General Bills most recently served as the Assistant Chief of Staff U-3/C-3/J-3, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea.

His previous assignments include: Platoon Leader, Scout Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Maintenance Officer in the 2nd Battalion, 81st Armor Regiment,1st Armored Division, United States Army Europe, Germany from 1984 to 1987, Squadron S1, Provisional Commander Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, and Commander, B Troop 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas and Saudi Arabia in support of OPERATION DESERT STORM, Operations Officer and Executive Officer, 2nd Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colorado. He then served as Commander, 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry, 1st Armored Division, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany. Following command, Lieutenant General Bills served as the Senior Task Force Observer/Controller, Operations Group, Combat Maneuver Training Center in Germany and deployed to OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM as part of the V Corps Commander’s Assault command post staff.

Lieutenant General Bills commanded the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood Texas and deployed as part of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. After regimental command, Lieutenant General Bills served as the Commander of Joint Task Force-North, USNORTHCOM at Fort Bliss, Texas. He then served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3, United States Army Europe. From June 2013 to July 2014, he served as the Deputy Commanding General of 4th Infantry Division and acting Senior Commander of Fort Carson, Colorado. From March 2014 to January 2016, Lieutenant General Bills served as the Commanding General, 1st Cavalry Division, III Corps, Fort Hood, TX and deployed to Afghanistan in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

Lieutenant General Bills’ other assignments include: Personnel Assignment Officer for Armor Branch, Department of the Army Black Book Manager, Office of the Chief of Staff, Army, Washington D.C., Deputy for the initial Wounded Warrior Program, and Director, Advanced Joint Warfighter Program, Institute for Defense Analysis, Alexandria, Virginia.

Lieutenant General Bills’ badges include the Army Aviation Badge, Combat Action Badge, and Army Staff Identification Badge. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal (1 OLC), the Silver Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (2 OLC), Bronze Star Medal (3 OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (Silver OLC), Army Commendation Medal (3 OLC), and the Army Achievement Medal (1 OLC).

Lieutenant General Bills and his wife, Megan, have been married for over 34 years and have three sons, Michael, Matthew, and Marc.