FORT HOOD, Tex. — The commander of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command and Dearborn native, Col. Joseph Martin relinquished command April 11 in a ceremony at Fort Hood, Texas, to join the First Cavalry Division as deputy division commander for support.

A 1981 graduate of Dearborn High School, Martin is the son of retired Ford Motor Co. executive Leonard Martin, who resides in Dearborn. He was commissioned as an armor officer upon his graduation in 1986 from the United States Military Academy. Martin earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Louisville, and is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College.

Martin was selected in December 2011 for promotion to the rank of brigadier general. A date for the promotion ceremony has not been announced.

Troop assignments include tank platoon leader, scout platoon leader and company executive officer in the 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division; commander, Company B, 4th Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Operation Desert Storm and Fort Riley, Kans.; commander, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Fort Hood, Tex.; commander, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kans., deploying to Baghdad, Iraq.

Other assignments include observer/controller, Fort Irwin, Calif.; instructor/writer and aide to commanding general, U.S. Armor Center, Fort Knox, Ky.; battalion and brigade operations officer and aide to the III Corps commanding general, Fort Hood, Tex.; Armor Branch chief and chief, Fires and Effects Division, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Alexandria, Va.; Initiatives Group Director for the commander, U.S. Forces Iraq and U.S. Joint Forces Command; III Corps chief of staff, Fort Hood, Tex.

Martin’s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, Meritorious Service Medal, and Army Commendation Medal with “V” device. He also earned the Combat Action Badge and Parachutist Badge.