Faculty and Staff

About

Great instructors make great leaders

SFA’s ROTC and military science instructors have had lengthy military careers, and they are ready to help Lumberjacks develop the leadership skills and discipline they need to succeed in college and beyond. As an ROTC cadet, you’ll work with decorated military veterans who have decades of active duty experience and educational backgrounds in fields like law enforcement, business and military science. 

 

First Lieutenant Mariko Badders
Instructor

First Lieutenant Mariko Badders began her military career as an SMP cadet serving in the North Carolina National Guard in 2010. She later received her commission as a distinguished military graduate from Wake Forest University. She subsequently joined the Texas National Guard where she began working as a gold bar recruiter for the University of Houston. Upon completion of Adjutant General Basic Officer Leaders Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina she served as a Battalion S1. In 2014, she switched from the National Guard to the Army Reserve to begin working as an aide de camp to 75th Training Command's Deputy Commanding General. In 2016, she moved from Houston to Nacogdoches and began her position as an Assistant Professor of Military Science for the Lumberjack Battalion. Badders continues to serve in the Army Reserves and is a full-time attorney in the civilian sector.

Her decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Metal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

Master Sergeant Raul Cantu
Senior Military Instructor

Master Sergeant Raul Cantu is from Gatesville, Texas, and he enlisted in the Army as an infantryman on January 3rd, 2001. Upon completion of One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served until 2008. He then served as a Ranger instructor at 4th Ranger Training Battalion at Fort Benning until 2011.

His follow-on assignment was to Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, where he served until 2014 as a platoon sergeant. He then returned to Fort Benning and served as a company first sergeant in 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and Task Force 1-28 Infantry.

He is a graduate of Ranger School, Airborne School, Jumpmaster School, Basic Leaders Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Senior Leaders Course, First Sergeant/Company Commander Pre-Command Course and the Emergency Medical Technician Basic Course.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with one Silver Leaf Cluster, Parachutist Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge and Ranger Tab. He has deployed to Afghanistan twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and to Iraq twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has a bachelor's degree in emergency and disaster management from American Military University.

James Brown
Human Resources Technician

James Brown's military career began on December 15, 1987, at basic training in Great Lakes, Illinois. In February 1988, he started his training pipeline at Basic Submarine A and C schools in Groton, Connecticut. Brown was stationed at Charleston, South Carolina; Kings Bay, Georgia; and Point Loma, San Diego, California. He served over 10 years in the U.S. Navy as a submarine radioman onboard three submarines and as a Navy recruiter.

Upon leaving the Navy, Brown worked for Texas Instruments in Houston, Texas and then Texaco and Shell in Bellaire, Texas as a network operations specialist. In 2008, Brown began working at Sam Houston State University's Army ROTC as the human resources assistant until 2014. He then transferred to Denver, Colorado to work with 8th Marine Corps Recruiting District, Officer Selection Office as a human resources assistant for three years. He then transferred to SFA in December 2017, working with the Military Science Department as the human resources technician.

Samuel Gardner
Supply Technician

Samuel Gardner served over 20 years in the U.S. Army and retired as a sergeant first class. His military career began in October 1976, when he enlisted in the regular Army as a wuartermaster supply specialist. He attended basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee, Virginia.

Gardner has served in numerous army units including the 1st and 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division (Kitzingen and Schweinfurt, Germany), 1st and 87th Infantry (Baumholder, Germany), 1st Cavalry Division (Fort Hood, Texas) and the 9th Area Finance Group, 9th Infantry Division (Fort Lewis, Washington). He also served as the Supply Sergeant with the 4th ROTC Brigade, Fort Lewis, Washington assigned to Washington State University. Gardner has made several deployments including Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Provide Democracy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Mr. Gardner retired at the Presidio of San Francisco, California. Immediately upon retirement, Mr. Gardner began work with the Workforce Solutions of East Texas and Veterans Commission as the veteran employment representative serving numerous East Texas counties for nine years. Prior to coming to SFA, he was a federal employee at Alcorn State University in Mississippi. 

Gardner's decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, the Good Conduct Medal (fifth award), the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Armed Forces Service Medal with Bronze Star. He is an active member of the American Legion and Veteran of Foreign Wars.

Sonnie Mosier

Sonnie Mosier has served as administrative assistant to the Chair of Military Science since February 1997. She is responsible for supporting the program's students and being a university liaison for the staff. Additionally, she assists new non-SFA faculty and staff with SFA's policies and procedures during in-processing. She also directs the flow of student work in the office, delegating duties as necessary.

Prior to coming to the Department of Military Science, Mosier served as a data input specialist in the data center for the Admissions Office and as a receptionist for the Office of the President.

Mosier has been with the university since August 1994 and has maintained positions that have always included helping people as she worked in the field of higher education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from SFA.

Christopher Powell

Originally from Gladewater, Texas, Christopher Powell enlisted in the U.S. Army as a cavalry scout in 1998. After completing his training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Powell was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Polk, Louisiana. During his time as a scout, he served as a squad leader and section sergeant during peacetime and the invasion of Iraq from 2003 to 2004. Powell was subsequently detailed as an army recruiter for three years within the East Texas area. Powell then served as an instructor within the Armor School of Fort Knox, where he taught counterinsurgency and reconnaissance operations to junior army officers. Shortly after his assignment, Powell was selected for application to the U.S. Army counterintelligence special agent’s course. He graduated from the course in 2009 and took an assignment as the senior counterintelligence agent of a Middle East field office. After returning to the U.S., Powell attended assessment and selection for a nominative assignment with the special operations community. Powell favorably assessed and remained in the community until his retirement from the U.S. Army in January 2019.  
 
Powell is a graduate of the Scout Platoon Leader’s Course, S.E.R.E. School, Advanced Foreign Counterintelligence Course, Surveillance and Countersurveillance Course, Senior Military Intelligence Leader’s Course, and the First Sergeant and Company Commander’s Pre-Command Course.
 
Powell served throughout the regions of Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and Syria from 2003 until 2017.
 
Powell was married in 2002 to a Nacogdoches native, and they have two beautiful children.

Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Ray

Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Ray is from Elk River, Minnesota. He enlisted in the U.S. Army as a wheeled vehicle repairer in October 2002.

Upon completion of his initial training, Ray was assigned to the 512th Maintenance Company in Mannheim, Germany. In January 2004, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon completion of the 13-month deployment, Ray was redeployed to Germany to finish his enlistment contract.

After a one-year break in service, Ray enlisted into the Minnesota Army National Guard, serving five years as a recruiting and retention noncommissioned officer. In May 2011, he deployed with the 257th Military Police Company to Bagram, Afghanistan, where he served as a guard force commander in a detention facility. Following that deployment, he was assigned to B Company 134th Brigade Support Battalion as a squad leader, then promoted to sergeant first class and assigned to the 224th Transportation Company as its platoon sergeant and motor sergeant before his promotion to first sergeant of E Company 134th Brigade Support Battalion. He then voluntarily transferred to Texas to serve as the liaison for SFA ROTC.

Ray is a graduate of several courses, including basic leaders, recruiting and retention noncommissioned officers, advanced leaders, National Guard Reaction Forces instructor, senior leaders and the first sergeant/company commander pre-command.

His decorations include Afghan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Service Medal, Army Service Medal, NATO Medal, Overseas Service Medal, Drivers and Mechanic Badge and Army National Guard Recruiter Badge – Master.

Sgt. 1st Class Levi Vernon

Sgt. 1st Class Levi Vernon is from Winter Haven, Florida. He enlisted in the Army as an infantryman on July 8, 2003.

Upon completion of One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning in Georgia, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment at Camp Casey in South Korea and Fort Carson in Colorado, where he served until 2006. He then worked as a recruiter in Philadelphia until 2009.

Vernon was later assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment at Fort Carson until 2013. In 2016, he served as a joint security force advisor instructor and observer/controller at Fort Polk in Louisiana.
 
Another change in assignment came in 2018 when he served as a platoon sergeant and operations sergeant major with the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.
 
Vernon is a graduate of several schools, including airborne, air assault and pathfinder. Additionally, he completed myriad courses, including reconnaissance and surveillance leaders, battle staff, basic leaders, advanced leaders and senior leaders.
 
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge and Pathfinder Badge.
 
Vernon deployed twice to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, once to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and once to Somalia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa. He is married with two children.

Robert Debardelaben

Originally from Spring, Debardelaben attended SFA, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and commissioned in May 1990.

Debardelaben’s military occupation specialty is transportation. Before attending officer basic course, he completed a road trip from Texas to Alaska and back, then completed the transportation officer basic course at Fort Eustis, Virginia, in January 1991. He joined the 75th Division Exercise, Headquarters 1st Brigade in Houston in 1994. Debardelaben served as G4 Staff, overseeing and assisting with computer simulation war game exercises, along with lane exercises and observer controller training for the 75th Division in the Central United States.  

After 9/11, he was mobilized two times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During these mobilizations, he assisted in teaching and training the military decision-making and troop-leading processes to mobilized reserve units as part of their validation process before deployment. Simultaneously, Debardelaben attended transportation office advance course and received the rank of major.   
 
As a civilian, Debardelaben worked as a Texas state parole officer from 1995 through 2015, where he assisted parolees with their return to society.  
 
He resides in Nacogdoches and enjoys life with his wife, Layne and their three children, Holly, Rebecca and Haden. His hobbies include fishing or anything associated with water or snow, in Texas, Colorado and Alaska.

Debora Silva

Debora Silva is originally from Mansfield, Texas, but spent most of her years moving with the Navy as a Navy Brat.

Silva’s military occupation was inventory management, logistics and supply. She enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in November 1987. After completing Air Force Technical School, her first duty station was Eaker Air Force Base in Arkansas, where she worked as a supply tech for the B-52 and KC-135 units. In 1992, she was off to England and worked in the main supply as a document control and mission impaired capability awaiting parts specialist. She then participated in her first deployment in support of Desert Storm. Next, she was off to Tinker Air Force Base where she was in a combat communications unit. This assignment found her on many deployments, including Uphold Democracy, Operation Joint Guardian and Southwest Asia. After a few years in Oklahoma, it was time to move on to Korea. Silva was at Osan Air Base as the manager of the chemical warfare section before heading back to Tinker again for just one short year. In 2001, she received her final base of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona and worked with the A-10’s. She was deployed a few more times to Southwest Asia before retiring in 2010.

Since retiring, Silva has worked as a Navy contractor at Tinker, Texas WorkForce Solutions and Social Security Services. She now resides in Huntington, Texas, and has a daughter in Washington. 

Capt. Ryan Hunke

Capt. Ryan Hunke graduated from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi with a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice and commissioned in 2010 as an active duty branch-detailed field artillery officer. His first duty station was with the 210th Fires Brigade at Camp Casey in South Korea, serving as a multiple launch rocket systems platoon leader. Upon completion of this tour, Hunke was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in New York, where he served as a fire support officer and executive officer with Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment. He deployed in 2013 to Afghanistan, where he served as the security officer for the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment at Forward Operating Base Sharana.

After completing the military Intelligence transition course in 2015, he was assigned to the 704th Signals Intelligence Brigade at Fort Meade in Maryland, where he served as the foundry program manager. He was later selected to command the Headquarters and Operations Company in the 742nd Military Intelligence Battalion. Upon successful completion of his command, Hunke was assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss in Texas, where he served as the brigade assistant security officer.

In 2020, Hunke transitioned from active duty to the reserves to pursue a master’s degree in English and serve as cadre for the SFA ROTC program.

Michael Hamilton

Maj. Michael Hamilton is the chair and professor of military science. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration and commissioned in 2007 through the U.S. Army's Officer Candidate School as an air defense artillery officer.  

Hamilton has been assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Osan Airbase, Republic of Korea; Saudi Arabia; Texarkana, Texas; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and Fort Hood, Texas. His overseas deployments were to Korea once and Saudi Arabia twice.

He has attended Air Defense Basic Officer Leader Course, Air Defense Captains Career Course, and the Command and General Staff College.  

Hamilton is an avid gym enthusiast, a world traveler and is from Texarkana. He has a Master of Business Administration from Webster University and Master of Arts in leadership studies from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Sergeant Laura Turcios

Sergeant Laura Turcios is originally from the state of Maine. She grew up in a log cabin on the Canadian Border.

Laura enlisted in the United States Army right after graduating high school. After her service, she coached soccer in South Korea, followed by leading group hikes in Hawaii. She earned two college degrees from American Military University, an associates degree in communications and a bachelor’s degree in American history with a concentration in military history. Recently, she was the librarian and technology aid at Broaddus ISD, when she enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard. She is the local National Guard recruiter, as well as the on-campus recruiter (OCR) for Stephen F. Austin State University. 

Staff Sgt. Jamison Lee

Lee is from Skippers, Virginia. He enlisted in the Army as a military policeman on January 29, 2009.

Upon completion of One Station Unit Training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, he was assigned to 557th Military Police Company at Camp Humphreys in South Korea, where he served until 2010.

Lee was later assigned to the Third Brigade, Second Infantry Division at Fort Lewis in Washington until 2013. Lee also was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Another change in assignment came in 2014, when he served as a squad leader and traffic non-commission officer in charge in military police investigations and in the Battalion S3 Law Enforcement with the 503rd Military Police Battalion at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
 
Lee is a graduate of several schools, including Military Police Investigator and Foreign Weapons Course. Additionally, he completed myriad courses, including basic leaders and advanced leaders.
 
His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Combat Action Badge.

MSG Jaime A. Contreras

Master Sgt. Jaime Contreras was born in Bakersfield, California, in 1987. He joined the Army in August 2005 and attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Immediately following OSUT, he attended airborne school. 
 
Contreras has been assigned to the following units: 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment from 2006 to 2014; 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment from 2014 to 2015; 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment from 2015 to 2018; and company first sergeant for HHC, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment from May 2019 to November 2019. He has served as the chief commanding officer 1-504th PIR first sergeant for the past 18 months.
 
Contreras has served as a company first sergeant for a headquarters company and an airborne light infantry company; mortar platoon sergeant; drill sergeant; section sergeant; fire direction center chief and check; squad leader; gunner; and assistant gunner. He has deployed to Iraq three times, Afghanistan and Kuwait once and to Haiti in support of a Humanitarian Aid mission following the earthquake in January 2010.
 
Contreras’ military education includes the Warrior Leaders Course, Combative level 1 and 2, Drivers Training, Combat Life Saver, Company Intel Support Team, Advanced Leaders Course, Jump Master, Basic Medical Technician, Crew Master Gunner Course, Equal Opportunity Course, Infantry Mortar Leader Course, Senior Leaders Course, Master Leaders Course, Ranger School, Airborne school and drill sergeant school. 
 
He earned Drill Sergeant of the Cycle for three of his six cycles. His awards and decorations include the Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Airborne Badge, Drill Sergeant Badge, Meritorious Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award, Meritorious Service Medal, MSM (1 OLC), ARCOM (4OLC, 1 C device), AAM (9OLC), GCM (5th Award), NDSM, ACM-CS, ICM-CS (2), GWTSM, NOPDR (numeral 4), AFSM, NATO Medal, HSM, OSR, ASR and NDSM. His foreign awards include Canadian and Australian Parachutist Badge.

Lt. Col. James Vance

Lt. Col. James Vance entered military service in 1997, enlisting in the U.S. Air Force as an explosive ordnance disposal technician serving in Korea, Germany and supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Commissioning as a U.S. Army officer, Vance has served as a career infantryman with experiences in light, air assault, mechanized and special operations formations. He served as a rifle and weapons platoon leader, rifle company commander, infantry battalion operations officer, infantry battalion executive officer and operational planner over multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Syria.

He is a fully joint-qualified officer having served in broadening positions as aide-de-camp to the First Cavalry Division commander, as a small group instructor at the U.S. Army’s Maneuver Captains Career Course, a training advisor within the U.S. Security Coordination Mission in Jerusalem, as a speechwriter to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and most recently as executive officer to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s military lead for intelligence, operations and nuclear deterrence.

He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and economics from Texas Tech University, a Master of Arts in defense and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College, the joint operational planner designation from the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School, and is a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College.

He is a native of South Texas and married to his wife of 17 years, Sandra. They have four children and enjoy travel, the outdoors and anything bringing loved ones together.

Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Williamson

Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Williamson enlisted in the U.S. Army as a cannon crewmember in February 2008. Williamson attended basic combat training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and graduated advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in August 2008.  

From September 2008 to March 2010, Williamson served on the battalion commander’s personal security detachment for 2nd Battalion - 82nd Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division. After his rotation at the National Training Center, Williamson deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from December 2008 through December 2009. From March 2010 to April 2011, Williamson was assigned to 4th Battalion-320th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.

He attended training at Joint Readiness Training Center, and served as the rear detachment unit armorer. He was medically reclassified to an Information Technology Specialist. From April 2011 to September 2011, he attended advanced individual training at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Williamson arrived at Fort Riley in October 2011 and was assigned to Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Infantry Division serving in the G-6 helpdesk. In November 2011, he was personally selected to be the radio telephone operator for the deputy commanding general-maneuver. In March 2012, he deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While deployed, he earned the Task Force Defenders Soldier of the Month Board and promotable status to sergeant.   

Upon redeployment in March 2013, Williamson served as the secretary of general staff noncommissioned officer and the driver for the 1st Infantry Division chief of staff.  

From September 2014 until June 2015, Williamson deployed for Operation Inherent Resolve where he served as the signal support staff noncommissioned officer for the 1st Infantry Division commanding general. While deployed, he earned his promotable status to staff sergeant.

Williamson served as a drill sergeant for basic combat training from May 2016 until May 2018. He was assigned to 165th Infantry Brigade, 2-39 Infantry Battalion, Bravo Company. 

From July 2018 until June 2019, Williamson served at III Corps as the information technology specialist for the III corps commanding general.   

From July 2019 until July 2022, Williamson served as the training and doctrine command, executive communications non-commissioned officer for the commanding general.  

Williamson’s military education includes senior leaders course; advanced leaders course; warrior leader course; drill sergeant academy; combatives level one and two; equal opportunity leader; IT fundamentals; and certification in A+ and red team mobilization training. 

Williamson’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal with four OLC; Joint Service Achievement Medal; Army Achievement Medal with one SOLC and one BOLC; Army Good Conduct Medal with 3rd Knot Clasp; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star; Iraqi Campaign Medal with two campaign stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Medal; Non-commission Officer Professional Development with 2nd numeral; Armed Forces Service Medal;  National Defense Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon with 3rd numeral; Nato Medal; Drill Sergeant identification Badge; and the Combat Action Badge.

Kyle Locke

Kyle Locke is a Nacogdoches native and officer in the Texas Army National Guard. He enlisted in the guard as a signal operator in 2002 then was deployed to Iraq with the 56th Brigade Combat Team in 2004. Upon returning to Texas the next year, Locke joined SFA’s ROTC program and earned his commission as a military police officer in 2007. In 2010, he began his career as the recruiting operations officer for SFA ROTC.

In 2019, Locke deployed to the Middle East, serving as the headquarters and headquarters battalion S3 for the 36th Infantry Division for Operation Spartan Shield. After he returned in 2021, Locke was activated under Operation Lone Star, and served in the 36th Infantry Division G3 until summer 2022. He is currently serving in J3 operations for the 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade as the military police section chief. Locke is also currently the scholarship and enrollment officer for SFA ROTC.

Locke resides in Nacogdoches with his wife, Kellie, and their three daughters.

Capt. Jerome Jones - executive officer, assistant professor of military science

Capt. Jerome E. Jones joined the Marine Corps in 2007 as a legal service specialist, where he served eight years and numerous positions. After serving honorably in the Marine Corps, he went back to school to pursue a college degree.  

Jones graduated from Campbell University with a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice, commissioned through Officer Candidate School on active duty and branched military police in 2017. His first duty station was with the 93rd Military Police Battalion at Fort Bliss, serving as a platoon leader. Upon completion of the tour, Jones was assigned to 787th Military Police Battalion at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he served as a company commander with Charlie Company. As a commander, he assisted in training soldiers and military police law enforcement professionals in the United States Army. During this time, Jones also received a master’s degree in organizational security and business management.

Jones is now serving as an assistant professor of military science in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Military Science.

Lt. Col. Gilberto Escobedo - chair/professor of military science

Lt. Col. Gilberto Escobedo graduated from the University of Texas at Brownsville with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in accounting, and earned a master’s degree in business management from Webster University. He was commissioned into the Quartermaster Corps from the University of Texas - Pan American, and his military education includes the quartermaster officer basic course, combined logistics captain course, Combined General Staff College, battalion pre-command and the sustainment battalion pre-command course.   

Escobedo’s assignments include platoon leader, Forward Support Company, 204th Forward Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood; company executive officer, Delta Base (Maintenance Company), 204th Forward Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood; company commander, Engineer Support Company, 588th Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood; company commander, Forward Support Company, Fort Hood; company commander, Forward Support Company, 8th Squadron, 10th  Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood; company commander (Recruiting Command), 5th Recruiting Battalion, Fort Sam Houston; support operations officer, 122th Aviation Support Battalion, 82th Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; brigade plans chief and brigade S3, 501th  Sustainment Brigade, South Korea; battalion executive, 15th  Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st  Cavalry Division; battalion executive officer, 1st BN, 289th Infantry Regiment, Division West, 1st Army; brigade executive officer, 479th Field Artillery Brigade, Division West, 1st Army; deputy G3/chief of operations and supply and service chief, III Corps; material and management branch chief; 19th  Expeditionary Sustainment Command, South Korea; deputy G3/chief of operations, 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Fort Hood; and Garrison executive officer, Installation Management Command, Fort Hood.  

Escobedo was enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve as a 92A warehouse specialist for 10 years, and was mobilized for Desert Shield and Storm.  

Personal awards and decorations include Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign, Global War of Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War of Terror Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, German Armed Forces Badge of Proficiency, Recruiting Badge, Airborne Parachutist Badge and Combat Action Badge.  

SFC Douglas Cook

Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Cook is a native of Crockett, and joined the U.S. Army in August 2006. While in the Army, Cook attended One Station Unit training at Fort Benning, Georgia. 

Cook has been assigned to the following units: 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment from 2007-08; 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment from 2008-10; 1st Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment from 2010-11; 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment from 2011-13; 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment from 2013-15; Task Force III JRTC from 2016-18; instructor at Fort Jackson from 2018-20; 2nd Battalion, 7th U.S. Calvary Division from 2020-23.

Cook most recently served as a Battalion Operations Sergeant Major, a company first sergeant for a mechanized Infantry company, rifle platoon sergeant, instructor, drill sergeant, squad leader, team leader, scout sniper, and rifleman. He has combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and deployed to Poland and Lithuania in 2022 in support of Operation European Assure, Deter and Reinforce. 

Cook’s military education includes the warrior leaders course, combative level one and two, drivers training, short range marksmanship course, combat life saver, advanced leaders course, equal opportunity course, sexual harassment/assault prevention program course, mast resiliency course, senior leaders course, airborne school and drill sergeant school. 

He earned the title of drill sergeant of the cycle twice. His awards and decorations include the Combat Infantry Badge, Airborne Badge, Drill Sergeant Badge, Meritorious Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award, Meritorious Service Medal MSM (1 OLC), ARCOM (4OLC), AAM (9OLC), GCM (fifth Award), ACM-CS, ICM-CS, GWTSM, NOPDR (numeral three), AFSM, NATO Medal, OSR, ASR and NDSM. His foreign awards include Peruvian Parachutist Badge and the Lithuania Defense Service Medal.