LTC Jonathan Blanding
DSTB Commander
Lt. Col. Jonathan Blanding is a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve as a paralegal specialist in 1998, with an assignment to the 12th Legal Support Organization at Fort Bragg, (known as Fort Liberty since 2023), North Carolina. Blanding received his commission from Fayetteville State University as a branch-detailed Field Artillery Officer, with a primary branch of Adjutant General.
Blanding’s previous assignments include: battery executive officer, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 40th Field Artillery, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; assistant brigade S1, 214th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill; Military Transition Team information operations and G1 advisor, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, 1st Infantry Division, Ninawa Province, Iraq; battalion S3, Tampa Recruiting Battalion, 2nd Brigade, Tampa, Florida; squadron S1, 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; brigade S1, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Abn. Div.; brigade S1, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Abn. Div.; brigade S1, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Liberty, North Carolina; Adjutant General Captain’s Career Course instructor, Adjutant General School; deputy chief of the Proponent and Leader Development Division in the Adjutant General School.
Blanding is a graduate of the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, Advanced Military Transition Team Course, Adjutant General Captain’s Career Course, the Sabalauski Air Assault School, Command General Staff Officers Course, Brigade S1 Course, Airborne School, and the Foundational Instructor/Facilitator Course. Blanding holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Fayetteville State University and a Master of Science in Administration in Human Resources Administration from Central Michigan University.
Blanding’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Iraqi Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 2 device , NATO ISAF Medal, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.
CSM La'Wan S. Stanley
DSTB Command Sergeant Major
CSM La’Wan S. Stanley, native of Midville, GA entered the United States Army in August of 2002. She completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, SC and Advanced Individual (AIT) Training at Fort Lee, VA, and was awarded the MOS of 92G, Culinary Specialist. She is the proud mother of three children: PFC “JD” Stone and two daughters ThaiWan and Kaya’.
CSM Stanley’s previous assignments include the 301st Military Intelligence Battalion, Camp Humphry Korea; 67th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, Fort Gordon, GA; Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion 8th Army, Yongsan Korea; 3D Battalion (Airborne) 4th Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bragg, NC; United States Army Priority Air Transportation Command (USAPAT), Andrews Air Force Base MD (US Army NCOIC Flight Attendant C20 program) US Army Cyber Command, Fort Belvoir VA (Senior Enlisted Aide), Joint Culinary Center of Excellence (JCCoE) Fort Gregg-Adams VA (Chief Culinary Instructor) First Sergeant of Alpha Company 244th QM BN, Fort Gregg-Adams VA, First Sergeant of CASCOM (US Army Combined Arms Support Command), Fort Gregg-Adams VA and Operations Sergeant Major for the Office of the Quartermaster General School, United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, and the G4, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA as the Chief Culinary Management Sergeant Major.
CSM Stanley’s military schools include all levels of the NCOES culminating as a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (SGM-A), Sergeants Major Course (SMC) Class 73 (Motivate & Serve). She has also attended and completed the Career Retention Training Course, Advance Culinary Training Course, Individual Readiness Flight Safety Training Course, Master Resiliency Trainer Course, Sharp Course, Enlisted Aide Training Course, Army OPSEC Program Manager Course, Cadre Training Course, Joint Logistics Course and Company Commander and First Sergeant Course (CCFSC).
CSM Stanley’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (4 oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal (3 oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal (3 oak leaf clusters), Presidential Unit Citation Award, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal (7th award), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal (bronze service star), Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 5), Basic Army Instructor Badge, Basic Aviation Badge and Sharpshooter BadgCSM Stanley completed her undergraduate degree with honors and received her bachelor’s degree in Child Developmental Psychology from Ashford University. Additionally, she holds a Master of Science in Child Adolescent Developmental Psychology from University of North Carolina, and a bachelor’s degree of Arts in Leadership and Workforce Development from the SGM-A. She is currently enrolled in a doctoral program to obtain her PhD in Child Clinical Psychology from Northcentral University.