Colonel J. Harold (Bob) Mashburn is a native of Johnson City, Tennessee. He earned a BS in chemistry from Tennessee State University and MS in organic chemistry from the University of Tennessee.

Colonel Mashburn has served in a variety of operational and staff assignments including Assistant Division Chemical Officer, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), Camp Eagle, Vietnam; Intelligence Analyst and Branch Chief, Science Division, U.S. Army Foreign Science and Technology Center, Charlottesville, Virginia; Assistant Professor of Chemistry, United States Military Academy; Commander 2nd Chemical Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; Director, NBC Proponency Training Department, U.S. Army Chemical School, Fort McClellan, Alabama; Commander, U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; and Director of Combat Developments and Assistant Commandant, U.S. Army Chemical School, Fort McClellan, Alabama.