Youth and Community Programs Commander

BG Peter B Cross Image

BG (CA) Peter B. Cross
Commander

Brigadier General (CA) Peter B. Cross enlisted in the United States Army in 1987. After serving in this capacity for two years, he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant from the University of California at Berkeley in 1989. He has served in numerous command and staff positions from Platoon Leader to his current assignment as Commander of Youth and Community Programs Task Force in the California Military Department.

BG Cross has been federally mobilized six times to include four combat tours. His first combat tour was one year in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm while serving as a Platoon Leader for the 838th Military Police Company. Upon his return, BG Cross was activated in support of Operation Garden Plot, the effort to quell civil unrest during the Los Angeles Riots. After the attacks of 11 September 2001, BG Cross was activated in support of Operation Noble Eagle for a one year tour. From July 2005 to September 2006 he served in Iraq as the 49th Military Police Brigade’s Operations Officer. BG Cross served his second tour in Iraq from August 2009 to August 2010 as the 49th Military Police Brigade’s Chief of Staff. In 2017 BG Cross deployed for a one year tour to Afghanistan as the 40th Infantry Division (-) Chief of Staff.

BG Cross’s staff assignments include: Platoon Leader for the 570th MP Company, Law and Order Officer for the 185th MP Battalion, Battlefield Circulation Control Officer for the 49th MP Battalion, Battalion S-1 for the 49th MP Battalion, Brigade S-1 for the 49th Military Police Brigade, 100th Troop Command S-1, Aide De Camp to The Adjutant General, the Battalion S-3 for the 49th Military Police Battalion, the Battalion Executive Officer for the 49th Military Police Battalion, Brigade S-3 for the 49th Military Police Brigade and the Chief of Staff for the 49th Military Police Brigade.

BG Cross’ command assignments include Company Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 49th Military Police Brigade (1994-1995) and the 670th Military Police Company (1996-1999). He commanded the 185th Military Police Battalion from February 2007 to February 2009 and the Recruiting and Retention Battalion from 2011 to 2012. BG Cross served as the Deputy Commander of the 49th Military Police Brigade from 2012 to 2014 and as the Brigade Commander of the 49th MP Brigade from 2014-2017. BG Cross served as the Commandant of the Oakland Military Institute from 2018-2019.

BG Cross is a graduate of the United States Army War College (USAWC) with a Masters of Arts Degree in Strategic Studies. He has graduated from the USAWC Defense Strategy Course, the Advanced Operations Warfighting Course (AOWC), the United States Army Command & Staff College, and Combined Arms Staff Services School. He is a graduate of the Military Police Officer’s Basic and Advanced Officer’s Course and the U.S Army Air Assault School (Fort Campbell, Kentucky).

BG Cross’ decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal (w/ 1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (w/ 2 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Commendation Medal (w/ 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Southwest Asia Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait).

BG Cross is a lifelong resident of Northern California where he resides with his wife Melinda.