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Colonel James Reed

Chief of the Joint Staff
Military

Colonel James Allen Reed is the Chief of the Joint Staff (CJS).  Col. Reed was appointed to this position in June 2019, following his assignment as the Deputy Director, Human Resources Office.

Col. Reed enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard, 5 May 1989 as a Motor Transport Operator with the 130th Rear Area Operations Center (RAOC), Smyrna, TN.  He deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm from August 1990 to March 1991.  He graduated Officer Candidate School (Class #36) from the Tennessee Military Academy in Smyrna, TN on 19 June 1993.  Upon receiving his commission as an Infantry Officer, he served as an Infantry Platoon Leader, Company A, 4-117TH Infantry Battalion, Lexington, TN and attended Infantry Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning, GA.  In 2000, he transferred to Cookeville to serve as the Training Officer, 3rd Squadron, 278TH Armored Cavalry Regiment and completed the resident Armor Officer Advance Course, Fort Knox, KY.  He deployed as Commander, Iron Troop, 3/278th ACR, McMinnville, TN in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III (’04-’05).  Col. Reed served as Battalion Commander of the Volunteer Training Site Command from 2013-2015 headquartered in Smyrna, TN with training sites in Milan, Smyrna, Tullahoma, TN and Tunnel Hill, GA.  Other notable positions of service include Director, Family Programs, Assistant Professor of Military Science at  Tennessee Technical University, Secretary General’s Staff, and State Family Program Director.

He earned a Bachelor’s Degree from MTSU in 1998 and a Master’s of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College (USAWC) in July 2018.  He graduated from the USAWC, the United States Command and General Staff College (CGSC) and Combined Arms Services and Staff School (CAS3).

His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal and the Combat Action Badge (CAB).

Col. Reed is a native of Smyrna, TN and currently resides in Cookeville, TN with his wife Shelia and their five boys Pvt. First Class Tyler (28), Grant (26), Andrew (22), Benjamin (18) and Caden (11).