Col. Garrett R. Kolo

Col. Garrett R. Kolo took the 310th Deputy Commanding Officer role in July 2020 deploying with the 310th as the Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund Director then the Senior Logistician for Afghanistan.

Prior to the 310th he was the LOGCAP Support BDE Commander where he mobilized the BDE in support of Operation Warp Speed.

He enlisted in the Ohio National Guard in 1989 as a combat engineer. He was commissioned in the US Army Corps of Engineers in April 1992 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

Kolo earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton and a Master’s of Business from Indiana University. He is also a graduate of the Engineer Officer Basic Course, Signal Officer Advance Course, Engineer Officer Advanced Course, Psychological Operations Officer Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff Course, CGSC Intermediate Level Education, Joint Engineer Operations Course, Ordinance Branch Qualification course, Support Operation Course, Advance Joint Professional Military Education (AJPME), Defense Strategist Course, and the Army War College.

He has served in numerous command and staff assignments to include platoon leader at the 209th QM company, company executive officer, A/17 PSYOP Company Commander, 17th PSYOP Battalion S-3, 1/100th (EN) XO and Battalion Commander of 766th TC BN, Joint Staff J-35 Future Plans and Commander of the LOGCAP Support Brigade.

Kolo supported Operation Enduring Freedom (2002, 2015, 2021), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2008) and response to COVID-19 (2020).

Kolo’s military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with 1 Oak Leaf, Bronze Star with 1 Oak Leaf, Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with 8 OLC, the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Star Device, the Iraq Campaign Medal with Bronze Star Device Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device and Bronze Hour Glass, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon (8 Awards), the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and a Meritorious Unit Citation.

He has also been awarded the Joint Staff Identification Badge, the Parachutist, the Pathfinder, Air Assault and Combat Action Badge.

His foreign awards are the Gold German Armed Forces Badge of Proficiency, the Gold German Schutzenschnur, the Silver Norwegian 30k Foot March badge, and the Bronze French CIOR badge.

During Kolo’s final mobilization in Kuwait, he was sent to Kabul for two months to be responsible for evacuating all personnel from the U.S. Embassy.

He did not tell his parents he was in Afghanistan and was on the second to last U.S. transport plane from Kabul after successfully moving all Americans from the Embassy.

Kolo and his wife, Lisa, live in Lafayette, Ind. They have four children, Taylor, Lexie, Rachel and Ryan. Kolo is the son of Anthony and Kathleen Kolo of Fredonia.