Commander
Lieutenant Colonel Kevin J. Rants
LTC Rants, a native of Colorado Springs, attended the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and was a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Army ROTC program.
Commissioned in 1994 as an Armor Officer, LTC Rants has served operational command and staff assignments as a Transportation Corps Officer, Logistics Corps Officer and as a Joint Staff Officer.
Assignments include Tank Platoon Leader, 2-8 Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division; Company Executive Officer, B Company, 27th Main Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division; Assistant Division Transportation Officer (DTO), 82d Airborne Division; Movement Control Officer, 82d Airborne Division; Company Commander, D Company, 782d Main Support Battalion, 82d Airborne Division; Company Commander, D Company, Logistics Task Force 82, TF Panther (505th Parachute Infantry Regiment); S3, 782d Main Support Battalion, 82d Airborne Division; Assistant S3, 1st Armored Division Support Command; Assistant Division Material Management Officer, 1st Armored Division Support Command; Support Operations Officer, 127th Aviation Support Battalion, 4th BDE (AVN), 1st Armored Division; Battalion Executive Officer, 601st Aviation Support Battalion, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division; Strategic Planner, Whole of Government Initiatives, J9, USSOUTHCOM, Executive Officer and Aide to the Chief of Staff, USSOUTHCOM; Chief of Plans and Exercises and Chief of Operations, for the Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ), USSOUTHCOM; and Contingency Planner, J53 USSOUTHCOM.
Operational and combat deployments include Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR, Operation ALLIED FORCE, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Humanitarian operations participation includes Operation LIFELINE (Pakistan Earthquake Relief), Operation UNIFIED RESPONSE (Haiti Earthquake Relief) and US relief efforts in Haiti following Hurricane Tomas.
Awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (1 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (1 OLC), Humanitarian Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.
LTC Rants has a Master’s degree from the Air University and is a graduate of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Air Command and Staff College, Combined Logistics Officer’s Advanced Course, Transportation Officer Qualification Course, and the Armor Officer Basic Course.