Colonel Christopher Garver
Colonel Christopher Garver began his career in the ROTC Program at Western Michigan University (WMU) in 1984. While in the battalion at WMU, he served in numerous cadet leadership positions. He also served for four years in the WMU Rangers. He was the only WMU cadet in his year group to earn the highest possible rating during ROTC Advanced Camp at Ft Lewis, WA. During his final year in ROTC, he served as a Simultaneous Membership Program cadet and Second Lieutenant in C Co., 2nd BN, 126th INF Regt. of the Michigan Army National Guard in Wyoming, MI. He was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 1988 as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He left the National Guard when he entered active duty in January 1989.
After completing the Infantry Officer Basic Course at Ft Benning, GA, he was assigned to 4th ID at Ft Carson, CO. He served as a platoon leader, mortar platoon leader, assistant operations officer, and company executive officer in 2nd BN, 12th INF, 1st BDE, 4th ID. After graduating from the Infantry Officer Advanced Course as the Distinguished Honor Graduate, he served as a brigade plans officer in 2nd BDE, 2nd ID, Republic of Korea. He then served as a company commander in 3rd BN, 327th INF Regt, 101st ABN (Air Assault).
After command, COL Garver attended the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Course in preparation for his next assignment as the Public Affairs Observer/Controller for the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Ft Polk, LA. At JRTC, he was responsible for effective public affairs techniques training. Following this assignment, he served as a brigade assistant operations officer of 5th BDE, 87th Div. (Training Support) and the battalion executive officer of 1st BN, 345th Regt (Engineer)(Training Support) at Ft Jackson, SC. He then served as the Public Affairs Operations Officer for Ft Leavenworth, KS. He deployed to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the PAO and the Deputy Operations Officer for Army Forces Central Command – Saudi Arabia, which served as a provisional air defense brigade during the initial ground operations of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). He then returned to Ft Leavenworth and served as the Public Affairs Observer/Trainer for the Battle Command Training Program (BCTP), where he trained Public Affairs sections and provided personal training.
After BCTP, he spent a year as an adjunct managing supervisor with Fleishman-Hilliard International Communications in New York City in the Army’s Training with Industry Program. Following that assignment, he was selected to stand up the 10th Public Affairs Operations Center (PAOC), the Army’s only active duty public affairs operations center at Ft McPherson, GA, and deployed with the 10th PAOC to Baghdad in support of OIF. While assigned to the Multi-National Force–Iraq (MNF-I) Communications Div., he served as the Combined Press Information Center Director, where he managed the media operations for MNF-I, the American Forces Network broadcast hub, and the Iraqi Media Engagement Team. He also served as the daily spokesperson for MNF-I.
After returning from Iraq, he moved the 10th PAOC to Ft Bragg, NC. He then served at Ft Meade, MD, as the chief of the Initiatives Group of the Army Public Affairs Center (APAC), the doctrinal center of Army Public Affairs. After six months at APAC, he served as the military deputy of the Media Relations Div. of Army Public Affairs at the Pentagon, executing and synchronizing public communications for Army Headquarters. He has served in that position for 2½ years before returning to APAC as the Director. During his year as Director, he was responsible for developing and publishing the Army Public Affairs 2020 Roadmap, laying out a strategic vision for Army Public Affairs into 2020. Garver recently returned from Afghanistan where he served as the Chief of Public Affairs for the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Kabul. In this role, he led the public affairs effort for the IJC and across six Regional Commands.
COL Garver holds a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from WMU, a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts from Louisiana State University, and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Defense Information School, Ft McNair, Washington DC. His awards include the Bronze Star (1 OLC), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), the Army Commendation Medal (4 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (3 OLC), the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.
COL Christopher Garver is the Chief of Public Affairs for the US Army’s III Corps at Ft Hood, TX. He synchronizes the public affairs effort for the corps headquarters, four US Army divisions, and eight separate brigades. He also provides public affairs support to the Commanding General of III Corps and Ft Hood as a member of his personal staff.