Brigadier General (CA) Roland L. Candee was born on 15 May 1953, in Portland, Oregon. He attended the University of San Francisco on a Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship, graduating in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics (cum laude). He was the ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1975. He took an educational delay to attend the University of San Francisco School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1978. He was admitted as an attorney into the California State Bar in 1978.
Brigadier General (CA) Candee was an Attorney, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U.S. Army, on active duty between 1978 and 1986. He was assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he served as a Trial Counsel in 1979. He then served as Chief, Administrative Law, from 1979 to 1981. He then served as a Trial Defense Counsel/Senior Defense Counsel, from 1981 to 1983. Brigadier General (CA) Candee was then transferred to Fort Ord, California, and served as a Legal Assistance Officer/Chief, Legal Assistance, at Fort Ord from 1983 until his release from active duty in January 1986.
Brigadier General (CA) Candee was a member of the United States Army Reserve Control Group from February 1986 to July 1986. He joined the California Army National Guard and, from July 1986 to January 1990, was assigned as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, 115th Area Support Group. From January 1990 to August 1992, Brigadier General (CA) Candee was assigned as the Staff Judge Advocate, Troop Command. From August 1992 to July 2000, he was assigned as Military Judge/Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters, State Area Command. Brigadier General (CA) Candee served as the Staff Judge Advocate, California Army National Guard from July 2000 to May 2008 as a Colonel, whereupon he was retired from active federal service. Brigadier General (CA) Candee joined the California State Military Reserve on 1 December 2008 and was promoted to Brigadier General (CA) in March 2009.
In his civilian career, Brigadier General (CA) Candee practiced law between 1986 and 1992 with Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann and Girard. He was appointed as a Municipal Court Judge by Governor Wilson in early 1992. He stood for and was elected Municipal Court Judge in 1994. Brigadier General (CA) Candee was cross-designated as a Superior Court Judge by the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court from 1992 to 1998. In 1998, he became a Superior Court Judge. Brigadier General (CA) Candee stood for and was elected Superior Court Judge in 2000 and 2006. Brigadier General (CA) Candee continues to serve in that capacity and was the Presiding Judge, Sacramento Superior Court, in 2006/2007.
Brigadier General (CA) Candee’s military education includes the Judge Advocate General’s Corps Officer Basic and Officer Advanced Courses (both Commandant’s List), Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College (Commandant’s List), Military Judges Course (Commandant’s List), and the United States Army War College (Distance Education Course).
Brigadier General (CA) Candee’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon.