Franklin native promoted to brigadier general

During a recent ceremony, Col. Ronnie Anderson Jr., a Franklin native and commander of the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command, was promoted to brigadier general.

“This event is a reflection on everyone who has invested in me, taught me something and made me better. I am only here through your hard work,” Anderson said. “Every day I put on the uniform, I try to move heaven and earth for anyone I can help, and I will only use this honor for the good of others.”

Lt. Gen. Heidi Hoyle, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, officiated the event, which took place Aug. 2, on the east lawn outside the historic Quarters One at the Rock Island Arsenal.

“Ronnie Anderson’s leadership and influence has been felt not only here locally but also across our Army, across our nation, back to his hometown, and quite frankly, around the globe. He is the king of ammunition,” said Hoyle, who served as JMC’s commander from July 2017 through April 2018.

In 1996, Anderson was commissioned as an Ordnance officer from the Army ROTC program at Purdue University. He became JMC’s commander on June 1, 2023.

“Thank you to my family for keeping me grounded but more importantly for being the inspiration to serve and to give my best every day,” Anderson said. “You all have given me the character and that Midwest hard-nosed roll-up-your-sleeves and get it done work ethic.”

JMC provides the joint forces with ready, reliable and lethal munitions at the speed of war, sustaining global readiness. JMC is the logistics integrator for life-cycle management of ammunition and provides a global presence of technical support to combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed.

“Every single employee in JMC I would put up against any staff on the planet to tackle the world’s hardest problems,” Anderson said. “They make me better every day, and I truly mean it when I say I feel like I get a master’s level education every day. I can never thank them enough.”