Augustus Leon Collins

Major General (Retired) Augustus L. Collins is a native Mississippian who brings a wealth of experience to MINACT and has distinguished himself in service to the nation. He was nominated to serve on Mississippi’s Worker’s Compensation Commission, after retiring from the U.S. Army as a Brigadier General. Collins is the first African American to attain the rank of General in the history of the Mississippi National Guard and he was awarded the rank of Brigadier General while serving in Iraq. General Collins served in command and staff positions in the Army and Mississippi National Guard, including mobilizing troops for Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. While in Iraq, he commanded a force of more than 4,500 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. While serving as Special Assistant to the President of MINACT, he was called out of military retirement to serve as the Adjutant General for the State of Mississippi National Guard under the administration of Governor Phil Bryant. He retired from that post and returned to MINACT as Chief Executive Officer. The General has many honors and awards to his credit including induction into the University of Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame, and the Mississippi Military Academy Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame. General Collins graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, earned an MBA from Jackson State University, and a Master's degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.