COL John Collins is a graduate of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, where he was commissioned in 2003.
COL Collins’ key command assignments include 1-52 Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Fort Wainwright, Alaska and C/2-160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
COL Collins’ key staff assignments include Battalion Aviation Safety Officer and Battalion Flight Operations Officer, 3-4 Assault Helicopter Battalion and Brigade Aviation Officer, 1-4 Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; Battalion Operations Officer and Executive Officer, 3-2 General Support Aviation Battalion, and Brigade Executive Officer, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea, Joint Air Operations Planner, 1st Joint Special Operations Air Component, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC, and G32 (Aviation) Director, US Army Central, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.
Major deployment history includes Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2005-2006 and 2007-2008; Operation Enduring Freedom XI, 2011; Operation Enduring Freedom XIV, 2014; Operation Inherent Resolve, 2014-2015; Operation Octave Shield, 2018; Operation Resolute Support, 2019; Operation Octave Shield, 2020; and Operation Urgent Resolve, 2025.
COL Collins holds a Bachelor’s Degree in European History, a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Management from Webster University, and Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the Marine Corps War College. He is also a graduate of the Command and General Staff College.
COL Collins is rated in the UH-60A/L/M and MH-60L/M Blackhawk helicopters. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (2OLC), Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (1OLC), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (3 STARS), Iraq Campaign Medal (4 STARS), Korea Defense Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, and President’s Unit Citation. He has been awarded the Senior Aviator Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Order of Saint Michael Bronze Award.
Command Sergeant Major
CSM Matthew D. Thomas
CSM Thomas is a native of Oceanside, CA. He graduated from San Marcos High School in San Marcos, CA in 1996. CSM Thomas enlisted into the Army in July of 2003, and attended Basic Combat training at Fort Benning, GA. His follow-on Advance Individual Training at Fort Lee, VA awarded him the MOS of 92G Food Service Specialist in November of 2003 in which he served for the first four years of his career. In 2007 CSM Thomas reenlisted to attend MOS reclassification training at Fort Eustis, VA where he graduated in February of 2008 as a 15G Aircraft Structural Repairer.
CSM Thomas has served in multiple positions including Team Leader, Section Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Aircraft Component Repair Supervisor, Air Movement NCO, Company Training NCO, 1SG, Brigade Operations Sergeant Major, Battalion Command Sergeant Major, and Brigade Command Sergeant Major. His assignment history includes 124 Signal BN, 4ID, FT Hood, TX; 4ID DIV STB, FT Hood, TX; 125th BSB, 1st Armored Division, FT Riley, KS; 2-1 Aviation Regiment, FT Riley, KS; 3/160th SOAR (ABN), HAAF, GA; SERE Detachment, FT Rucker, AL; HQ 1st Aviation Brigade, FT Rucker, AL; 603D ASB, 3ID, HAAF, GA; United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, FT Bliss, TX; 110th AVN BDE, FT Novosel, AL, 1-212th Aviation Regiment, FT Novosel, AL, and 1ST AD, CAB, FT Bliss, TX. CSM Thomas has 11 overseas deployments, five combat deployments to Iraq, four combat deployments to Afghanistan, and two rotations to Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.
CSM Thomas’ military education includes Warrior Leaders Course, Advance Leaders Course (HG), Senior Leaders Course (DH), United States Sergeants Major Academy (CL), Enlisted Green Platoon, Combatives level I, Airload Planners Course, SERE-C, Aviation Accident Prevention Course, Aviation Safety Course, Airborne, Lean Six Sigma-Green Belt, Contracting Officer Representative Course, Commander/1SG Pre Command Course , Battalion Pre Command Course, Facilitator/Instructor Course, multiple advanced SERE Courses, Combat Life Savers Course, Personal Security Detail Course and Dense Urban Studies. His civilian education includes ABARIS Advanced Composite courses 1-3, Associate of General Studies, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Management. He has been inducted into two Honor Societies for scholastic excellence, Sigma Beta Delta (Business Honor Society) and SALUTE (Veterans National Honor Society).
CSM Thomas’ awards and decorations include Meritorious Service Medal 4th, Army Commendation Medal 4th, Army Achievement Medal 7th, Army Good Conduct Medal 7th, National Defense Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal 2nd, Iraq Campaign Medal 3rd, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, NATO Medal, Master Aviation Badge, and Basic Parachutist Badge.
Chief Warrant Officer 5
CW5 Donald F. McHugh II
CW5 Donald F. McHugh, II, enlisted in the Army in August 1999, serving for five years with duty assignments at Fort Bragg, North Carolina before his appointment to Warrant Officer in April 2004.
His Warrant Officer assignments include Alpha and Delta Company 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Infantry Division at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii; Fox Company, 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment, 110th Aviation Brigade at Fort Rucker, Alabama; Delta and Headquarters Company 2nd Battalion, 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas; 127th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas; Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky; Headquarters Company, 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade, Fort Bliss, TX. CW5 McHugh has served as an Instructor Pilot, Maintenance Test Pilot, Maintenance Evaluator, Platoon Leader, Career Manager, Quality Control Officer, Production Control Officer, Aviation Materiel Officer, and Battalion and Brigade Maintenance Officer.
CW5 McHugh’s military education includes the Warrant Officer Senior Service Education, the UH-60L and UH-60M Maintenance Test Pilot Course, and the UH-60M Instructor Pilot Course. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. His aircraft qualifications include the UH-60A, UH-60L, and UH-60M.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Air Medal (Numeral 3), Army Commendation Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Unit Commendation (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2 Campaign Stars), Iraq Campaign Medal (4 Campaign Stars), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 4), and the NATO Medal. He has also earned the Combat Action Badge, Master Army Aviator Badge, and Parachutist Badge, and is the recipient of the Order of Saint Michael (Bronze).
