Brig. Gen. John Gentry ’91 has earned Presbyterian College’s highest alumni honor – the Alumni Gold P Award.

BG Gentry was appointed assistant adjutant general for the Georgia National Guard in 2019 and is responsible for soldier and equipment readiness for the Guard’s 78th Troop Command headquartered at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Ga. In Feb. 2020, Gentry was also appointed to serve as the mobilization deputy commanding general at Fort Stewart, Ga.

His long military career began the year he graduated from PC when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in field artillery through the ROTC. In addition to his bachelor’s degree in business administration from PC, Gentry earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Penn.

He has also been educated at the Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Command and General Staff College, Combined Arms Service Staff School, and Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses.

Gentry previously served as chief of joint staff for the Georgia National Guard with command assignments as brigade commander for the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, battalion commander of 1st Brigad, 118th Field Artillery Regiment, and firing battery commander at 1st Battalion 214th Field Artillery.

He has served in multiple tours of duty overseas, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gentry has earned the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, the Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the NATO Medal, and the Parachutist Badge.

He works contractually as a civilian consultant in the parks and recreation profession and previously served as the Gwinnett County director of parks and recreation in Lawrenceville, Ga., and the Oconee County Parks and Recreation Department in Watkinsville, Ga.

Gentry and his wife, Katherine ’91, have two children – Anna, 23, and Caroline, 20.