Lt. Col. Kelly Buckner, Battalion Commander 

^{Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion}

Lt. Col. Kelly Buckner, originally from Saginaw, Michigan, commissioned as an air defense artillery officer from Michigan State University in 2008. She served with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, as an Avenger platoon leader and executive officer. Her deployments included serving as a Police Training Site officer-in-charge (OIC) in Nangahar, Afghanistan, and as the aide-de-camp to the assistant commanding general – Police Development in Kabul.

After returning from Afghanistan, Buckner completed the Civil Affairs Qualification Course before joining the United States Indo-Pacific Command-aligned 84th Civil Affairs Battalion. As a team leader, she supported operations in Indonesia, Korea and Timor-Leste, including a tour on the USNS Mercy. She then served as the brigade civil-military operations officer for 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, during a Republic of Korea rotation. In 2017, she became the aide-de-camp to the commanding general of 2nd Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea.

Following her graduation from the Command and General Staff College and the School of Advanced Military Studies, Buckner served as the group plans officer for the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). In 2021, she took command of Bravo Company, 92nd Civil Affairs Battalion (Special Operations) (Airborne), and deployed to serve as the commander of Task Group Balkans. After command, she held consecutive operations officer positions, first at the 92nd Civil Affairs Battalion (SO)(A) and then at the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (SO)(A). Buckner then moved to the National Capital Region to serve as the current operations officer at 1st Capabilities Integration Group (A). In 2024, she transitioned to the Army Staff (HQDA) as the Irregular Warfare branch chief and then as the executive officer to the director for Strategy, Plans and Policy (HQDA G-35).

Her military education includes the Air Defense Artillery Officer Basic Course, Engineering Captains Career Course, Civil Affairs Qualification Course, Command and General Staff College, and the School of Advanced Military Studies. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in geological engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a Master of Arts in military operations from the School of Advanced Military Studies. She has also completed SERE-C, Special Opoerations Language Training in Indonesian and the Air Force Information Operations Planners Course.

Buckner's awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service, Overseas Service, NATO Medal, Parachutist and Pathfinder badges, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.