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Today’s Black History Month feature is Brig. Gen. Owen Monconduit, the first Black general officer in the Louisiana National Guard.
On Feb. 17, 2009, Brig. Gen. Owen Monconduit was the first Black officer in the Louisiana National Guard to be promoted to the rank of brigadier general. The commander of the 225th Engineer Brigade, Monconduit received his first star during a ceremony on Camp Liberty, Iraq.
Monconduit graduated from Louisiana State University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Engineer Technology, from the University of Phoenix in 1998 with a Master of Arts in organizational management and from the United States Army War College in 2007 with a master’s in strategic studies.
During his 28-year career, Monconduit served as a platoon leader, company executive officer and as a company and battalion commander with the 225th Engineer Brigade. He became the chief of the environment management section for the Louisiana National Guard in 1991 where he served before becoming the Construction Management and Facilities officer in 2000. Before accepting command of the engineer brigade in 2007, Monconduit served as the executive officer to the adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau.
A veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, Monconduit commanded the 528th Engineer Battalion from Monroe through a year-long tour to Afghanistan in 2005 before leading a battalion for six months on state-active duty for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Monconduit’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon.