A native of Tennessee, Lt. Gen. Landes graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1990, where he received his commission in the Infantry. Over the next 30 years, Lt. Gen. Landes served in mechanized, light, airborne, and Stryker units in numerous command positions from company to division level, as well as staff positions, and completed multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Haiti. Most recently, he served as the Commanding General of First Army’s Division East, headquartered at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Lt. Gen. Landes’ first assignments included Germany, Hawaii, and Dahlonega, Georgia. He served as a field grade officer in the first unit to field and deploy the Stryker vehicle using the newly formed Stryker concept for combined arms. He subsequently served as an
instructor with the Australian School of Infantry in Singleton, New South Wales. In 2007, Lt. Gen. Landes assumed command of 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, and deployed to Iraq, conducting operations in the Diyala Province. Following an assignment to the Operations Group of the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, he assumed command of 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas. In 2011 he deployed the brigade to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where it conducted operations in the provinces of Logar, Wardak, and Bayman.
Lt. Gen. Landes served as the Executive Officer to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army from 2014 to 2016. He subsequently served as the Deputy Commanding General (Support) of 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas. In 2018, he assumed command of Security Force Assistance Command, headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he oversaw the establishment of the newly formed Security Force Assistance Brigades whose core mission is to advise, assist, support and liaise allied and partner nations. Lt. Gen. Landes holds a Bachelor’s from USMA and a Master of Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University. His military education includes Infantry Officers’ Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College, and a United States Army War College Fellowship at Yale University.
His awards and decorations include Legion of Merit (3 OLC), Bronze Star Medal (2 OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), Army Commendation Medal for Achievement Medal (4 OLC), Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, and Army Staff Identification Badge.