Col. Franklin J. Estes, born in Corona, CA, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in June 1996. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (1996) and received a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2005). His military education includes: Field Artillery Officer Basic Course (Distinguished Graduate), Airborne Course, Field Artillery Captain's Career Course (RC), Command and General Staff College Intermediate Level Education (Common Core – DL and Advanced Operations Course), FA 30 (Information Operations) Qualification Course (DL), U.S. Army War College Fellowship (University of Pittsburgh).
Col. Estes served on active duty in the 82nd Airborne Division (Fort Bragg, NC) from May 1997 through December 1999. During this time, he served as the Company Fire Support Officer for Charlie Company, 1/504 Parachute Infantry Regiment (May 1997 – December 1998), Fire Direction Officer, Alpha Battery, 3/319 Airborne Field Artillery Regiment (AFAR) (December 1998 – June 1998), and S-4, 3/319 AFAR (June 1999 – December 1999). Prior to his arrival at Fort Bragg, he completed training at Fort Sill, OK and Fort Benning, GA.
Col. Estes began serving as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) in the Army Reserve in October 2002. He initially served as an Operations Officer in the Joint Operations Center (JOC) of Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR), Patch Barracks, Germany. In November 2009, he transitioned to the Underground Facility Analysis Center (UFAC) at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). At the UFAC, he worked as an Intelligence Officer in the Collections Branch. In August 2014, he moved to the U.S. Cyber Command Army Reserve Element where he worked as an Operations Officer for the Cyber National Mission Force and then as the J3 Mission Area Lead for the Joint Cyber Reserve Element. After being selected for transfer to the newly formed Cyber Branch, Estes became Team Commander of Cyber Protection Team 186 to oversee the build to Initial Operating Capability (IOC). From July 2019 to May 2020, Estes performed studies at the University of Pittsburgh as an Army War College Fellow. Most recently, he served as a Senior Cyber Adviser (IMA) with the Joint Service Provider located at the Pentagon.
Col. Estes‘ awards/decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and Parachutist Badge.
In his civilian career, Col. Estes works as an IT/cyber consultant and program manager in the Greater Los Angeles area. His contracting engagements have included work with the Small Business Administration, Defense Health Management Systems, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Defense Information Systems Agency, Army Futures Command, and the Space and Missile Systems Center. He is married to Jennifer Estes, and has two daughters, Norah, age 10, and Diana, age 8.