Colonel Johnny M. Casiano, U.S. Army Garrison Aberdeen Proving Ground
Colonel (COL) Johnny Casiano entered the US Army in 1995, and attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Benning, GA. He was then assigned to Company H, 121st Infantry Regt. (LRSU), 48th Infantry Brigade, Georgia Army National Guard where he served until 1998.
COL Casiano graduated from North Georgia College, and was commissioned as an Infantry Second Lieutenant in 1998. After completing the Infantry Officers Basic Course, and Ranger course he was assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, Fort Wainwright, AK, as a Light Infantry Platoon Leader. COL Casiano was later assigned to B/1-17 IN as the Company Executive Officer, then as the Battalion S3 Air where he served until September of 2002.
In late 2002, COL Casiano attended the Infantry Captain’s Career Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the Combined Arms Services Staff School. He was then assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Riley, KS. Shortly after his arrival, he deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom I, meeting his unit in Baghdad and serving as an LNO to Division, an Assistant Brigade S3, and an Iraqi Army Company Advisor through April 2004. Upon redeployment he was assigned to Task Force 2-70 AR as the S3 Air. In February 2005, COL Casiano deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom III to Mahmudiyah, Yusafiyah and Lutifiyah, serving as the S3 Air, the S3, and eventually assuming command of A Company, 1-41 Infantry Regiment. His Company served in MND-Baghdad stationed out of FOB Taji conducting combat operations in and around Abu Gharib, Taji and Baghdad. As the unit redeployed back to Fort Riley, COL Casiano oversaw the closing of A/1-14 IN. With the closing of his company, he was then assigned to command L Company, 1st BN, 16th Infantry, as a Military Transition Team (MiTT) Trainer, located at Camp Funston. Following the tenure of his second company command, COL Casiano was selected for the Expanded Graduate School Program and attended Kansas State University where he earned a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). In December of 2009, COL Casiano completed the Intermediate Level Education program at the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, KS.
Assigned to the 1st Infantry Division once again, COL Casiano spent 6 months as the Brigade Planner for 1st BDE before assuming the role of Operations Officer for 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment. Here he prepared the unit for deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom XI-XII. During the deployment to the Arghandab River Valley, Khandahar, Afghanistan, COL Casiano became the Squadron’s Executive Officer; and upon returning from deployment, he was selected as the Executive Officer for the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. In May of 2013, COL Casiano was hired as the Executive Officer to the Commanding General, 1st Infantry Division, and in August of 2014, was selected as the Chief, Commander’s Initiatives Group (CIG) to the Commanding General, 1st Infantry Division. During this period, he worked closely with Department of the Army Civilians, industry representatives, academia, and other government agencies to design and implement a comprehensive transition program for Soldiers separating from the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley.
In March of 2016, COL Casiano assumed command of 1st BN, 77th AR Regiment located at Fort Bliss, TX, and deployed the Combined Arms Battalion in support of Operation Spartan Shield. Upon completion of command, CoL Casiano was then selected to command 1st BN, 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) at Fort Bragg, NC. During this command, he stood up, trained and deployed his Combat Advising Battalion to Laghman, Province to advise the Afghan National Army’s 201st Corps in Train, Advise, Assist Command- East (TAAC-E). Upon return from Afghanistan, COL Casiano attended the Army War College, graduating in June of 2021.
COL Casiano’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star (3 OLC), the Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (3 OLC), the National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon (4th Award), the Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Army Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Ranger Tab.