Col. Stephen S. Trotter
Colonel Stephen S. Trotter was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and began his military career by enlisting in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1994. He later commissioned through ROTC in the U.S. Army Reserve within the Adjutant General Corps upon graduating from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1997. His additional academic degrees include a graduate certificate in Security, Stability and Development in Complex Operations from Naval Post Graduate School. He also earned a Master of Public Administration from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Strategic Studies from The United States Air War College.
Colonel Trotter’s military education includes the Adjutant General Officer Basic Course, the Adjutant General Captain’s Career Course, the Civil Affairs Mobilization & Qualification Course. He attended other professional military education courses to include the Airborne qualification course, Command & General Staff College, Defense Support to Civil Authorities II Course, and the Air War College.
Colonel Trotter assumed the command of U.S. Army Garrison at Fort Hunter Liggett on June 27, 2023. His most recent assignment was as the Deputy Commander of the 350th Civil Affairs Command, in Pensacola, FL. Prior to this assignment, he served as Deputy Defense Coordinating Officer of FEMA Region VII, USARNORTH, in Kansas City, MO. Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama; Operations Officer for the 308th Civil Affairs Brigade, Regionally Aligned to U.S. Army Europe; Deputy Commanding Officer at the 361st Civil Affairs Brigade in Kaiserslautern, Germany; Battalion Executive Officer, 457th Civil Affairs Battalion, Kaiserslautern, Germany; Psychological Operations Assignment Officer, Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky; Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion of Army Reserve Careers Division, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania; Asst G1, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Indianapolis, Indiana; Civil Affairs Team Chief, 448th Civil Affairs Battalion and enabler to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment & 1-12 Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, in Qayyarah, Iraq; Asst G1, 8th Army, Indianapolis, Indiana & Yongsan, South Korea; Battalion Operations Officer, 326th Adjutant General Replacement Battalion, Indianapolis, Indiana; Executive Officer, Command Group, and USAR Program & Scholarships Manager, U.S. Army Cadet Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia; Assistant Battalion Operations Officer and Marketing Officer, New England Recruiting Battalion, Topsham, Maine; Assistant G1, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Indianapolis, Indiana and Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Colonel Trotter’s awards and decoration include: the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal; five Meritorious Service Medals; three Army Commendation Medals; Army Achievement Medal; Iraqi Campaign Medal for the Iraqi Surge and Iraqi Sovereignty Phases; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal for COVID-19 Response; Humanitarian Service Medal for Operation Allies Welcome; Parachutist Badge; and the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold)
Colonel Trotter is married and has two sons.