Willingham Pinned As New Colonel In Army

Trion native Jeremy R. Willingham was promoted to Colonel in a ceremony held at the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon in Washington on April 5.
LTG Stephen Twitty gave the remarks before Col. Willingham officially was pinned with his new rank and the publishing of the promotion orders.
A large contingent of his family were on hand for the ceremony.
Col. Willingham is married to Olga Perez Willingham and they have two children, Isabelle and Jeremy. He is the son of Melissa Colbert, Summerville, the late Eddie Colbert and David and Rosa Willingham, Calhoun. Grandparents are Frances Seymour, Trion, the late Floyd Seymour and the late Harry and Marie Willingham, Summerville.
Col. Jeremy R. Willingham is a native of Trion. He graduated from Trion High School in 1992. He enlisted in the United States Army in May of 1993 while attending North Georgia College in Dahlonega. He graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from North Georgia College and received a Regular Army Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Military Police Corps. Col. Willingham also holds a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Drury University, Springfield, Mo.
Col. Willingham’s military education includes the Military Police Officer Basic Course, MP Captain’s Career Course, Combined Arms Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, Joint Planners Course, TRADOC Instructor Training Course, Basic Airborne Course, Advanced Airborne School Jumpmaster Course, Special Reaction Team Training (Phase 1), Hostage Negotiations Course and Antiterrorism Level-I thru Level-IV.
Col. Willingham’s previous assignments include Platoon Leader, 272d Military Police Company, Mannheim, Germany and Taszer, Hungary in support of Operation Joint Guard/Forge; Assistant S3 (Operations), 95th Military Police Battalion, Mannheim, Germany; Assistant S3 (Plans), 720th Military Police Battalion, Fort Hood, Tex.; Commander, 64th Military Police Company, Fort Hood, Texas and Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Detainee Transport from Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba); Commander, HHC, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Tex. Instructor/Small Group Leader (MPCCC), USAMPS, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Joint Operational Planner, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; S3, 503d Military Police Battalion, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Deputy Provost Marshal/Provost Marshal/Chief, Afghan National Police Development, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; Chief, Antiterrorism Division, United States Army, Pacific, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; Commander, 93D Military Police Battalion (War Eagles) and Fort Bliss Director of Emergency Services; Chief, Policy and Plans, Office of the Provost Marshal General, HQDA, Pentagon; and most recently Chief, Strategy Policy and Plans, Army Protection Directorate, HQDA, Pentagon.
Col. Willingham’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal (1 OLC), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (2 Service Stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral “4”) and the NATO Medal. LTC Willingham is authorized to wear the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Senior Parachutist Badge, German Military Efficiency Badge (Bronze), German Army Jump Wings, Royal Thai Army Jump Wings, the Military Police Regimental Association’s Order of the Marechaussee in Bronze, the Armor Association’s Noble Patron of Armor Distinctive Award and the Army Staff Identification Badge.