Our guest speaker at the reunion banquet will be Colonel Stephen G. Yackley, Chief of Staff First Army Division East and
we are most pleased that he has graciously accepted our invitation. Here is his biography.
Colonel Yackley enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1973 serving two tours in Germany and a tour with C Company, 1st Ranger
Battalion, Fort Stewart, Ga., and Operational Detachment 235, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Special Forces Group
(Airborne), USAR.
Commissioned in the Infantry through the ROTC program at the University of Arizona in 1984 and assigned to the 5th
Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment at Fort Riley, Kan., he served as rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader, and S-4.
In 1988 he reported to the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, in Germany as the assistant S-3 and then Company
Commander, later reassigned to the Headquarters, 1st Infantry Division (Forward), as assistant G-3 (Training) and then
Secretary of the General Staff where he deployed to Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm. In August 1991 he reported
to the Infantry School, Fort Benning, Ga., as a Small Group Tactics Instructor, Infantry Officers Advanced Course.
In June 1995, Colonel Yackley was assigned as the S-4 for 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo., and
then later as Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment. In late 1997 he served as a maneuver
observer/controller in the Battle Command Training Program at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. In July 1999, he reported to the
U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as the Chief of the PAL Management Control Team, J36.
In July 2001, Colonel Yackley assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment, Fort Jackson, S.C., and,
in January 2003, deployed his task force to Taszar, Hungary, with the mission to train free Iraqi forces in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom. In July 2003, he was assigned to U.S. Northern Command, Colorado Springs, Colo., as the Chief,
Land and Military Assistance to Civil Authorities Branch, Future Operations Division, J3. In June 2006, he assumed
command of the 1st Combat Training Brigade, later redesignated the 193rd Infantry Brigade at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
In July 2008, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, he was assigned as the Assistant Commander of the Combined
Security Transition Command-Afghanistan and was responsible for the development of the Afghan National Police. In July
2009, he assumed the position of Chief of Staff of First Army Division East at Fort George G. Meade, Md.
Colonel Yackley is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Armor Officer Advanced Course, U.S.
Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College Joint Staff Officers Course, and the U.S. Army War
College class of 2006. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Arizona,
a master’s degree in Management from Troy State University, and a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army
War College.
Colonel Yackley’s awards include the Legion of Merit (1 OLC), Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal
(1 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (8 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (3 OLC), and Joint
Meritorious Unit Award (1 OLC). He has also earned the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Ranger Tab, and Master Parachutist
Badge.
