In his previous assignment, Brigadier General Valas served as the Commander of the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
Brigadier General Valas is a graduate of the United States Army War College. He received his commission as an Infantry Officer from Hofstra University in 1998. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, and the Field Artillery Captain's Career Course, the Command and General Staff College, the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course, Jumpmaster Course, and Ranger School.
He commanded all levels of Special Forces, Detachment thru Group, including deployments in support of OPERATION NEW DAWN, as Commander of Special Operations Area Operations Base-Kirkuk, Iraq and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, as Commander of ODA 2116, Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Previous non-command assignments include service as the Senior National Guard Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Security Cooperation; State Training Officer of the Alabama Army National Guard; Operations Officer, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne); Battalion XO, 1st Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne); Battalion XO, 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry; and multiple company grade assignments with 2d Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, where he deployed in support of the NATO-led, Stabilization Force 6, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze star Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster) the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (with 3d Oak leaf cluster), the Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghan and Iraq Campaign Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, the NATO Medal, the Multinational Forces and Observers Medal, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Expert and Combat Infantryman’s Badges, and the Ranger and Special Forces Tabs.
He is married to the former Abby Howell. They live in Trussville, Alabama, with their three children, Reese, Gray, and Elin.