Garrison Commander

Colonel Samples received his commission as an Armor Officer from the Officer Candidate School in 1997. He is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic Course, the Maneuver Captains Career Courses, the Civil Affairs Qualification Course, Airborne School, Air Assault School, the Army Inspector General School, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.

Previous non-command assignments include service as a Scout Platoon Leader, Support Platoon Leader and Squadron S4 with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, LA, Battalion S1 in the 2/397th Infantry Regiment, 100th Training Division in Lexington, KY, Assistant Professor of Military Science, Eastern Michigan University, Chief of Operations for the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion, 350th Civil Affairs Command in Miami, FL, J5 Plans Officer for the Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan in Kabul Afghanistan, Brigade Operations Officer for the 1st Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Training Brigade, United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command at Fort Bragg, NC, the Fort Carson and 4ID Command Inspector General Inspector General, the Joint Command Inspector General, Resolute Support in Bagram, Afghanistan, the Command Inspector General for the United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command at Fort Bragg, NC, and the Deputy to the United States Army Reserve Command Deputy Commanding General at Fort Liberty, NC.

His command assignments include: Commander, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 397th Infantry Regiment, 100th Training Division, Lexington, KY; Commander, A Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, NC, and Commander, 436 Civil Affairs Battalion, 321st Civil Affairs Brigade, 350th Civil Affairs Command, Sanford, FL.

Colonel Samples holds a Master of Arts in History from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the OEF Campaign Medal, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.