Colonel John W. Strain
Colonel John W. Strain II received his commission in August 1998 after completing eleven years of enlisted service. He previously served as a Senior Military Advisor to the Saudi Armed Forces Joint Staff College, enabling the transformation and strengthening of programs of the Saudi National Defense University.
His previous duties and assignments have included: Armored Crewman, Calvary Scout, and Medical Aidman in the National Guard; Physician Assistant, HHC 1/121 Infantry Regiment, Albany, Georgia; Senior Physician Assistant, 48 Infantry Brigade, Iraq; Physician Assistant, 4 Civil Support Team, Marietta, Georgia; Aeromedical Physician Assistant, Joint Task Force 171 GSAB, 40 Combat Aviation Brigade, COS Taji, Iraq; Physician Assistant, State Medical Detachment, Ellenwood, Georgia; Operational Medicine Manager, State Safety Office, Aviation Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard; Commander, 44th Chemical Battalion and 5 CERFP Commander, Illinois Army National Guard; Deputy Brigade Commander, 404 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade; Commander, Bilateral Embedded Support Team, Bagram, Afghanistan. Military Advisor to the Saudi Arabia Joint Command and Staff College, USMTM, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
COL Strain is a graduate of the Officer Candidate School, AMEDD Officer's Basic and Advance courses, CBRN Captain's Career Course, Combined Arms Exercise Course, the Command and General Staff College, Human Resources Officer Qualification Course, Basic Airborne Course, and the Naval War College. His civilian degrees include a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Physician Assistant Studies in Orthopedic Surgery from the University of Nebraska, Master of National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College and a Graduate Certificate in Middle Eastern Studies from American Military University.
His awards and decorations are commensurate with 37 years of combined enlisted and commissioned service to all three components of the US Army.
COL Strain served as the Alumni President of Georgia Highlands College from 2012 to 2015. In civilian practice, he is employed as a Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant for TeamHealth Corporation.