Brigadier General James L. Bauerle, US Army (retired) (Bauer-lee) is a native Hoosier. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from Marian College, Indianapolis, Indiana; and has completed Graduate Work with Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, and Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indiana. Holds a Masters Equivalent in Strategic Studies from The United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
General Bauerle began his Army career in April of 1968 as a drafted enlisted soldier and was commissioned a 2LT on 7 February 1969 from the Engineer Officer Candidate School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He holds military specialties in the Engineer Corps, Adjutant General Corps and as a Multifunctional Logistician. His military education includes Command & General Staff College, National Security Council Course, Senior Officer Legal Orientation course, Army War College, Joint Senior Leader/Chemical Officer Course, Organizational Effectiveness Trainer Course, and the Force Integration Course.
His active duty service includes Platoon Leader in engineer units and an infantry unit. He served in Vietnam as a combat engineer platoon leader & float bridge platoon leader in the 25th Infantry Division. He also served as the Battalion Advisor to the 972d Engineer Battalion. General Bauerle was called back to Active Duty during Desert Shield/Desert Storm with the 21st Theater Army Area Command CONUS Augmentation. During Desert Storm he served in several key assignments for the 22d Support Command. Included in these duties were Command of the Logistics Operation Forward; Commander, Logistics Task Force for the emergency restoration of Kuwait (Task Force Freedom); Chief of Security, Plans and Operations; and finally Chief of Staff for the 22d Support Command (Theater Army Area){a three star Command}. Some of his significant contributions during this assignment included re-establishing the Kuwait International Airport, constructing the facilities near Safwon, Iraq for the formal surrender of the Iraqi Forces to General Schwarzkopf, establishing and supplying 2 refugee camps in southern Iraq, receiving, supplying & supporting the UN Peacekeeping forces, and receiving, arming, and supporting the 11th Armor Calvary Regiment at Doha, Kuwait as the first US follow on forces.
Reserve positions include Company Command, various Battalion staff positions, Battalion Command, Adjutant General, Deputy Chief of Staff for Training, Army Reserve Command (ARCOM), Chief of Staff of 123rd ARCOM, Deputy Commander for 88th Regional Support Command, and his final assignment Commanding General of the 88th Regional Support Group; a force of over 4000 soldiers in six states.
General Bauerle’s awards and decorations include: the Legion of Merit with Second Oak Leaf Cluster; Bronze Star Medal with 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster; the Meritorious Service Medal with 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation Medal with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 5th Oak Leaf Cluster; National Defense Service Medal with 2d Award; Humanitarian Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 20 year device; Army Service Ribbon; Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (2d Award); and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with device (1960) and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. General Bauerle was inducted into the Engineer OCS Hall of Fame at Fort Leonard Wood Mo., in 1999. General Bauerle received the Major General Robert G. Moorhead Award for Service from the Indianapolis Veteran’s Day Council in 2012 and was appointed as Chairman of the Indiana Veterans Affairs Commission by Governor Pence for 2013-2014.
General Bauerle was honored and selected as a Hoosier Bicentennial Torch Bearer for Hamilton County in 2016. General Bauerle was inducted into the Indiana Veterans Hall of Fame in 2022.
He serves as vice president and legislative chairman for The Military / Veterans Coalition of Indiana (an advocacy group for Hoosier vets, military, retirees, survivors and their families). General Bauerle is a member of “Mission Readiness” a general and flag officer group that promotes readiness of our Armed Forces, is the state president of Veterans for Energy, and is a member of the US Global Leadership Council. He is on the board for TreatNow.org an advocacy group that promotes healing medical treatment using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to treat Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He serves as an Army Reserve Ambassador for the Chief of the Army Reserve in Indiana. He is a past state president of the Reserve Organization of America, and is a member of several other organizations.
General Bauerle is married to the former Judy Lillich (Lill-ik), and currently resides in Carmel, Indiana. They have four children, daughters, Beth; Amy; Lori; and son, Jim Jr. and 4 grandchildren.
