LTC Steven D. Russell

LTC Steve Russell in the boneyard of destroyed Soviet Equipment
Afghanistan 2002

LTC Steven D. Russell

LTC Steven D. Russell hails from Del City, Oklahoma. He received his commission as an Infantry Lieutenant
in 1985 along with a BA in Public Speaking from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

LTC Russell has served in Airborne, Light, and Mechanized assignments in the Arctic, the desert,
the Pacific and European Commands, and in the Continental United States.
He has also served as an Infantry Career Course small group instructor and as a doctrine writer.
LTC Russell has served nine years overseas and has deployed operationally to Kosovo, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

After graduating from the Command and Staff College in 1998,
LTC Russell served as the Secretary of the General Staff, 1st Infantry Division
and as the Task Force 1-26 Infantry S3 with the initial heavy entry force into Kosovo in June of 1999.
He then served as the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry (“Blue Spaders”) S3 and XO until selected
as the FORSCOM Commander’s Aide-de-Camp in February of 2001.

During Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, LTC Russell deployed to Kuwait
in December of 2001 and served as the CFLCC Chief of Future Operations
and was responsible for operational combat planning in the Afghan area of operations.
From February to May 2002, he led an Afghan Army planning and training assistance force
working with the 3rd Special Forces Group in Kabul, Afghanistan, before returning to CFLCC.
LTC Russell was reassigned as G3, Chief of Current Operations, III Corps in September of 2002.

In June of 2003, LTC Russell assumed command of 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry
during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and conducted combat operations in Tikrit, Iraq
from June of 2003 to March of 2004. LTC Russell has since redeployed the “Regulars” of 1-22 Infantry
to Fort Hood, Texas, where they prepare for future operations.

LTC Russell holds a Master’s degree in History.
Among his numerous awards and decorations are the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster,
the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star.
He is married and has five children.

MAJ Jurney, LtCol Schwankel, LTC Scurlock & MAJ Steve Russell
Kosovo 1999

The men who helped build the Afghan army:
CPT George Harris, MAJ Ken Swanson, Capt Gene Redding (USMC), LTC Steve Russell, and MAJ John Buck
Afghanistan 2002

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