Lt. Col. Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) Menn , Commander, 1st Battalion, 223d Aviation Regiment
Lt. Col. Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) Menn was born in Carthage, IL to Robert and Jane Menn. He graduated from Carthage High School in 2001 and the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and immediately commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the Aviation branch.
Lt. Col. Menn reported to Fort Rucker, Alabama for Initial Entry Rotary Wing training in July, and in December 2005 he married Jennifer. After graduation in 2006, the couple moved to Savannah, GA for his assignment with the 3rd Infantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade. Following a 15-month deployment to Iraq, he and Jenn completed foster parenting training and welcomed foster children into their home for the first time.
In the spring of 2009, Lt. Col. Menn favorably assessed into the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). Upon completion of the Engineer Captain’s Career Course, he and Jenn stopped by Ft. Rucker for the CH-47D Chinook aircraft transition course, followed by Green Platoon at Ft. Campbell, KY. They eventually returned to Savannah with 3/160 SOAR(Abn) in the fall of 2010 where Lt. Col. Menn served as an A/S-3 and flight platoon leader. He and Jenn again opened their home to foster children in Savannah.
The Menns moved to Cambridge, MA in August of 2013, for graduate school at Harvard University where Lt. Col. Menn graduated with a Master in Public Policy degree, and Jenn completed a Master in Public Administration. In June of 2015, they moved to the United States Military Academy at West Point where Lt. Col. Menn taught Economics in the Social Sciences Department. The couple welcomed foster children into their home at West Point and authored a book entitled Faith to Foster in May, 2016. In June of 2018, Lt. Col. Menn assumed duties as the Operations Officer for the Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion (SOATB) at Ft. Campbell, KY and remained there for his command of B/SOATB until August, 2021. After changing command, the family moved to Hawaii where Lt. Col. Menn served as the speechwriter for ADM Aquilino, the USINDOPACOM Commander.
Lt. Col. Menn is a graduate of the Army’s Air Assault School, Command and General Staff Officer Course, and the 160th SOAR (Abn)’s Officer Green Platoon Course. He is qualified in the UH-60A/L Blackhawk, MH-47G Chinook, and the MH-6M Little Bird. Lt. Col. Menn has served multiple overseas tours.
Lt. Col. Menn and his wife Jenn have three daughters: Reba, Amorina, and Gloria.