The Commander's Foxhole

LTC Odell A. Graves was born in Washington D.C. and is a 1989 graduate of Wright State University , Dayton , Ohio where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and received a regular army commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry.

LTC Graves has served as a leader or commander in all of his commissioned ranks.  His assignments include Bradley Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Scout Platoon Leader while assigned to various units in 3rd Infantry Division in Germany; Anti-Armor Company Commander and Commander of the U.S. Army’s only Pathfinder Company (Airborne) while assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Commandant of the Theater Air Naval Ground Operations Command Post in Seoul, Korea; Battalion Executive Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Battalion Operations Officer and Executive Officer for 6th Ranger Training Battalion, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

LTC Graves is a graduate of various Army and civilian schools which include: the Infantry Officer Basic and Advance Course, Command and General Staff Officer Course, the Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault, and Pathfinder Courses, and has earned his Master of Arts in Human Resource Development from Webster University in 2000.

LTC Graves has deployed on numerous occasions in and out of country and is a combat veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Storm in Iraq where he served as a Platoon Leader with 3rd Infantry Division, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division where he served as a Brigade Logistical Officer, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division where he served as a Battalion Executive Officer.  His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (2nd Award), Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Ecuadorian and Chilean Parachutist Badges.