Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Pounding
Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Pounding is an active Special Forces officer with the Army National Guard participating in the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs' Army Fellowship Program. Lt. Col. Jeff Pounding holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Southern Illinois (1980), and a master's degree in psychology from Appalachian State University (1987). As an Army National Guard officer, he has worked at all levels of army security cooperation. His last assignment was as a senior strategist for Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA).
Lieutenant Colonel Pounding's other assignments include commander, 1st Battalion, 65th Infantry Battalion, (AASLT), deputy division chief, Operations Division, Army National Guard (ARNG), and chief, Special Operations Branch, NGB-ARO, ARNG. Lieutenant Colonel Pounding has commanded both Special Forces Operational Detachment A-teams and Special Forces companies.
He has served two tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with his predominate position being chief of operations for the Combined-Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan. Upon returning from Afghanistan, he served as the National Guard liaison to the G3, United States Army Special Forces Command. He commanded a Special Forces Detachment-A during Operation Uphold Democracy, Haiti, in 1995, and has also deployed to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Japan, Canada, and England in support of the army's security cooperation efforts.
Prior to becoming an active Army National Guard officer in 2002, Lieutenant Colonel Pounding operated a child psychology private practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and was an Outward Bound instructor specializing in mountaineering, expeditionary travel, and white water sports.
Lieutenant Colonel Pounding's military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Army Commendation Medal (two awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (two awards), Army Superior Unit Award (two awards), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (four awards), National Defense Service Medal (two awards), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal With "M" Device, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (two awards), Combat Infantry Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Special Forces Tab, Army Staff Identification Badge, Royal Thai Marine Parachutist Badge, New Zealand Parachutist Badge, Overseas Service Bar (two awards), and Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for Former Wartime Service.
Lieutenant Colonel Pounding will be in residence at the Scowcroft Institute during the 2009-2010 academic year, where he will conduct research on military and national security affairs and conduct a dialogue with Texas A&M faculty and students about relevant issues facing today's army.