Lieutenant Colonel Argel G. Garcia began his military career in May 2002 when he enlisted in the United States Army Reserve as a Civil Affairs Specialist. In 2007, he earned his commission through the Army’s Direct Commissioning Program as a Signal Officer and later transitioned to become a Functional Area 40 (FA40) Space Operations Officer. He most recently served as the Executive Officer for the 1st Space Brigade; the Army’s only multicomponent Space Brigade, headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado.
Previous assignments include: Executive Officer for the 2nd Space Battalion, the largest space formation within the Army Reserve; S3 for the 98th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed into the CENTCOM area of responsibility throughout 7 different countries and was responsible for operating, monitoring, managing and maintaining over 67 tactical and strategic points of presence assigned to his battalion. He served as the Assistant Chief of Staff G6 for the Army Reserve Aviation Command; mobilized as the Assistant S3 for the 35th Expeditionary Signal Battalion; HHC Commander for the 1st Recruiting Brigade; Assistant S3 for the 1st Recruiting Brigade; and S6 for the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion located in Miami, FL.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Florida International University, a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration, a Master of Operational Studies from the Command and General Staff College, and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University. His military education includes the Signal Officer Basic and Advanced Courses; the Red Team Leader Course through the University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies; the Command and General Staff College (ILE); the Joint Planner Course; the Army Space Operations Officer Qualification Course; and the Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JCWS), completing his Joint Professional Military Education Phase II (JPME-II).
Lieutenant Colonel Garcia’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (1 Silver Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (1 Silver and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (two campaign stars), and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. He has earned the Combat Action Badge, Senior Space Operations Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Signal Regiment Bronze Order of Mercury as well as the Noble Patron of Space Medal and the Order of St. Dominic.
In his civilian capacity, prior to joining the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) program, Lieutenant Colonel Garcia was an Organizational Strategy Consultant, an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Leadership Studies at the University of South Florida, and Strategic Leadership Facilitator for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.