Profile
Colonel John L. Harrell is a native of Moss Bluff, Louisiana. He was commissioned into the U.S. Army Signal Corps, detailed to the Field Artillery, through the ROTC program at Louisiana State University in 2001. His initial assignment was with the 3rd Infantry Division Artillery, where he deployed to the Balkans, Kuwait, and multiple combat rotations in Iraq.
Throughout his career, COL Harrell has commanded at multiple levels. As a Company Commander in Grafenwöhr, Germany, he supported the Joint Multinational Training Command (JMTC) and deployed in support of operations in Afghanistan, the Balkans, the Republic of Georgia, Romania, and across Germany. He later took command of the West Houston Recruiting Company under the Houston Recruiting Battalion, serving as both Company Commander and later Battalion Executive Officer (XO). He continued his leadership roles as the Battalion S3 and XO for the 1-289th Infantry Battalion in Houston, Texas.
Following his graduation from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, COL Harrell was assigned as Operations Chief at the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) and later served as Deputy Commander in Mons, Belgium. In this role, he led strategic communication and operational support across 39 allied nations in Europe, deployed in support of the Ukraine crisis, and commanded the Resolute Signal Support Group in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he provided critical communications support to coalition forces.
COL Harrell then served at the White House Communications Agency, where he was appointed as Deputy Chief of the Information Assurance Division and a Presidential Response Officer. He later assumed command of Executive Voices Command while continuing his responsibilities as a Presidential Response Officer.
As a Battalion Commander, COL Harrell led the 509th Signal Battalion in Vicenza, Italy, providing strategic communications across 17 countries and Africa and supporting USAREUR-AF operations and mission funded sites. He then assumed command of the Dallas/Fort Worth Recruiting Battalion, overseeing enlistment and recruitment efforts throughout Texas.
His most recent assignments include his studies at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, and his current role as Army Capabilities Manager for Tactical Radios under Army Futures Command at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
COL Harrell's military and civilian education includes the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, Signal Captains Career Course, Army Command and General Staff College, NATO Command and Operations Officer Course, and the Presidential Communications Officer Course. He holds Master’s degrees in Network Engineering, Information and Technology Management, and Strategic Military Studies, along with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and multiple network and security certifications.
COL Harrell resides Evans, Ga with his wife, Dr. Lori Harrell, and their children, Andrew, Paige, Matthew, and Autumn.
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