J-9 CIVIL AFFAIRS OPERATIONS

BG Leonard graduated from The Citadel in 1978 and completed a Masters’s degree from The Citadel and an Ed.S. degree from SCSU.  His military education includes U.S. Army War College with a master’s degree in strategic studies. He has served in command and staff assignments in the U.S., Central America, and Asia.  BG Leonard was the commander of several Task Forces, building schools in Panama and Belize.  In 2002 BG Leonard deployed to Afghanistan as the Director of Personnel for the CJCMO Task Force in Kabul.  After graduating from the Army War College in 2007, he commanded the 422nd CA Battalion, where in 2009 supporting the 25th Infantry Division and later the 3rd Infantry Division in Northern Iraq.  With the 10th Mountain Division (Light), he was the Director for Regional Command-South (Forward) in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, from 2010 to 2011.  

BG Leonard’s awards include Legion of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals, 

Combat Action Badge, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, three Meritorious Service Medals. 

Retiring as a Colonel in the Army in December 2011, he joined the SCSG in 2013, as the Deputy Commander. In 2017 he became Chief of J-9, JSD.

Prior to emigrating to the USA in 2003, LTC Johns served in the British, Royal Navy for 15 years. In a diverse career including aviation, mine hunting, navigation and anti-gun running he finally ended up as the Executive Officer of a shore base of 4500 souls with 68 staff.

On arriving in North Carolina in 2003 and wishing to serve his new country, he joined the Civil Air Patrol/USAF Auxiliary to contribute his Naval aviation expertise, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department as a CSI and Lake Patrol Officer and, set up and ran his own three helicopter company.  Quickly rising in the CAP/USAF Auxiliary he became South Carolina Squadron Commander of the Year in 2009 as did all but one of his divisional officers.  Achieving the highest CAP/USAF Auxiliary, level 5, and, looking for further challenges, he joined the South Carolina State Guard as their recruiting officer in 2015 later, transferring to the J9, Civil Affairs section of the Joint Services Department of the South Carolina Military Department. Here he has been active in locating and erecting monuments to various WWII combatants and women of the ‘Rosie the Riveter’ program.  His latest project is raising a new CAP/USAF Auxiliary Squadron in Camden whilst still completing JSD missions and serving on the Kershaw County Emergency Management Planning Committee.

LTC Watson "Wattie" E Snowden III

J-9 Civil Affairs/Operations, Cyber Defense Associate

Florence, S.C.

Wattie Snowden has over 35 years of county, state, federal, and international law enforcement to his credit.  He grew up in Kingstree and Manning, S.C.  Graduating from from Manning High School he earned a B.S. in Political Science from Francis Marion University and a Master of Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina.

He is a graduate of the following:

·         South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy

·         Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy

·         United States Secret Service

·         Foreign Service Institute ( DOS-Diplomatic Security)

·         Homeland Security (DEA , FEMA & TSA)

Snowden served with Multinational Forces- Iraq (2004-2007), International Security Assistance Forces- Afghanistan (NATO-ISAF) (2007-2011), and International Narcotic and Law Enforcement- Afghanistan & Mexico (DOS) (2011-2017).  He is a graduate of the South Carolina State Guard Military Academy (Pre-Command & Command).  Consultant with Carolina Security and Fire and remains active in veteran support organizations.

In 2023, Snowden was named Francis Marion University Alumni of the Year.

In 2024, he became the first active JSD Cyber Defense Associate by facilitating Cyber Defense Outreach with small municipalities and utilities in his area.