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Lieutenant Colonel Bernard House is a native of Lexa, Arkansas and commissioned into the United States Army in 1997 from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. He has a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership from Webster University. His military education includes the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, the Field Artillery Captain’s Career Course, Combined Arms Staff Services School (CAS3), Paladin Commander’s Course (PCC), Joint Operational Fires and Effect Course (JOFEC), Intermediate Level Education (ILE), Joint Firepower Course (JFC), Military Assistant Security Advisor (MASA) and Security Force Assistant Advisory Team (SFAAT) Training and Transition (TT) Team Resident Course and The Inspector General School.

Lieutenant Colonel House’s initial assignment was Vilseck, Germany, September 1998, where he served as Company Fire Support Officer, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor and Battalion Targeting Officer for 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor. From November 1999 to July 2000, Lieutenant Colonel House deployed with 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division where he served as Battalion Targeting Officer, Force Protection Officer, and Paladin Platoon Fire Direction Officer in support of Task Force Falcon, Multinational Brigade (East) for Kosovo Forces (KFOR) 1B. Other assignments include Paladin Platoon Leader, Battalion Fire Direction Officer and Assistant Battalion Operations Officer for the 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery in Bamberg, Germany.

From October 2002 to September 2003, Lieutenant Colonel House commanded Echo Battery, 1st Battalion, 79th Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. From September 2003 to January 2004, he served as Battalion Operations Officer for 1st Battalion, 19th Field Artillery. Lieutenant Colonel House commanded Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 78th Field Artillery from January 2004 to May 2005. From May 2005 to May 2006, he served as Battalion Military Transition Team Operations Officer, Iraqi Assistance Group, Baghdad, Iraq. He then served as Observer Controller/Team Chief and Battalion Operations Officer for 2nd Battalion, 410th Field Artillery at Fort Knox, Kentucky. From July 2009 to July 2010, Lieutenant Colonel House served as Assistant Division Fire Support Coordinator (AFSCOORD) for 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Red Cloud, Korea, and then was assigned to 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division as Stability Transition Team Chief for 6 months, prior to deploying as part of TF Duke (3/1 IBCT), FOB Salerno, Afghanistan as 3/1 IBCT Task Force Duke Plans Officer. Lieutenant Colonel House served as Battalion Operations Officer (S3) for 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division from March 2012 to December 2012. Lieutenant Colonel House served as Battalion Executive Officer (XO) for 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division from December 2012 to December 2013. In June 2013, Lieutenant Colonel House deployed to FOB Spin Boldak, Afghanistan as Combined Task Force Centaur Executive Officer (XO). Following deployment, Lieutenant Colonel House was assigned to the Department of the Army Inspector General’s Office, Washington, D.C. Lieutenant Colonel House assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment in May 2015. In September of 2015, he deployed the Battalion (Task Force Centaur) to Northern Iraq (Makhmur) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Upon return in May 2016, LTC House prepared and trained the Battalion to execute a Decisive Action Training Environment rotation to the Joint Readiness Training Center in March 2017. LTC House relinquished command of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery in May 2017 and assumed duties as the Deputy Fire Support Coordination Officer until March 2018. From April 2018 until June 2019, LTC House served as the Combined Joint Fires Element (CJFE) Chief of Dynamic Targeting for United States Forces Korea (USFK) and Combined Forces Command (CFC). Following Korea, he served as the Field Artillery Branch Chief, Enlisted Personnel Management Directorate (EPMD), Fort Knox, Kentucky. LTC House previous assignment was the Deputy Fire Support Coordination Officer (DFSCOORD), V Corps, Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Lieutenant Colonel House's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star (3 OLC), Defense Meritorious Serious Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (Silver OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), the Korean Defense Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Star, Iraqi Campaign Medal ( 2 x Campaign Star), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2 x Campaign Star), Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (2 x Campaign Star), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal (with Bronze Star – Kosovo/Afghanistan), Meritorious Unit Citation (MUC w/ 2 OLC), Army Superior Unit Award (ASUA), Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) and the Overseas Service Ribbon w/number 6. He wears the Combat Action Badge, Army Staff Badge and Parachutist Badge. Lieutenant Colonel House is married to the former Andrea Marshall of West Helena, Arkansas. They have two children, a daughter, Arriana (17) and a son, Christopher (22). 

Major William Burgess was born 14 November 1986 and is a native of Alvarado, Texas. Major Burgess entered the Army in 2004 as a Human Resource Specialist in the Army Reserves and deployed to Al Asad AB, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. After the deployment, he began the ROTC program at Stephen F. Austin State University. In 2011, Major Burgess earned a Bachelor’s of Liberal Arts in History and was commissioned as an Air Defense Artillery Officer. Major Burgess attended the Basic Officer Leadership Course at FT. Sill, OK. His initial assignment was with Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, FT. Sill, OK, as the Fire Control Platoon Leader. In December 2012, Major Burgess deployed to Turkey in support of NATO mission Operation Active Fence. Following his Platoon Leader time, Major Burgess was selected to be the Battery’s Executive Officer. Upon promotion to Captain in October 2015, Major Burgess was selected to be the Battalion Adjutant of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment. Major Burgess attended Air Defense Artillery Captain’s Career Course (ADACCC) at FT. Sill, OK, in 2016. Following ADACCC, Major Burgess was assigned to 32d AAMDC, FT. Bliss, TX, and deployed to Kuwait as an Operations Officer in the TAAMDCORD cell in 2017. Major Burgess served as the commander for Headquarters Support Battery, 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, FT. Bliss, TX, from February-December 2018; commander of Charlie Battery, 5-52 ADA from February 2019-August 2020; commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 5-52 ADA from September 2020-June 2021; and deployed to Al Udied AB, Qatar, May 2020-May 2021. He is currently serving as the Program Director and Assistant Professor of Military Science/ROTC at Murray State University.

Major Burgess is married to the former Rebecca Clark of Joshua, TX, and they have two daughters; Sophia and Olivia.

EDUCATION

• Basic Combat Training, Fort Leonard Wood, MO 2004
• Advanced Individual Training, Fort Jackson, SC 2005
• Postal Operations, Fort McCoy, WI 2005
• Air Defense Artillery Basic Officer Leadership Course, Fort Sill, OK 2011
• Combatives Level I Certification, Fort Sill, OK 2011
• Combat Life Savers Course, Fort Sill, OK 2013
• Air Defense Artillery Captains Career Course, Fort Sill, OK 2016

CIVILIAN EDUCATION

Bachelor of Liberal Arts in History, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 2011

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

• Meritorious Service Medal
• Army Superior Unit Award
• Army Commendation Medal (4 OLC)
• Army Achievement Medal
• Army Good Conduct Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal
• Army Service Ribbon
• Overseas Service Ribbon (4) 

Sergeant First Class Grover J. Muirheid is a native of Omaha, Nebraska, and enlisted into the United States Army in 2006. He attended One Stop Unit Training (OSUT) at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he earned the Military Occupational Specialty of Infantryman (11B). His military education includes Basic, Advanced, Senior, and Master Leader courses. The U.S. Army Sniper School, The Sabaulaski Air Assault School, Combat Lifesavers Course, Modern Army Combatives Level One, Army Basic Instructor Training, The U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy, Rappel Master Course, Jungle Operations Training Course (JOTC), Australian Defense Force Junior Officer’s Jungle Operations Leadership Course, Mountain Warfare School (Summer), Special Operations Combatives Program Level One, and Common Faculty Development Instructors Course.

Sergeant First Class Muirheid’s initial assignment was Fort Campbell, Kentucky, November of 2006 through June 2012, where he served numerous positions including Rifleman, Automatic Rifleman, Grenadier, Sniper, Sniper Team Leader, Fire-team Leader, and Squad Leader with C Company, 1st Squadron 75th Cavalry Regiment, Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA), 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He also served as the Division Command Sergeant Major’s Operations NCO and G3 Administrative Staff NCO with Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. Beginning December of 2012 through December 2014 he served as Drill Sergeant and Senior Drill Sergeant with A Company, 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. In June 2015 through June 2016 he served as a Weapons Squad Leader with 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, before transitioning to Platoon Sergeant and Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of the Jungle Operations Training Course, Lightning Academy, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, through June of 2018. He then served as a Test Control Officer, S3 NCOIC and Platoon Sergeant for the III Corps and Fort Hood Non-Commissioned Officer Academy from June 2018 through July of 2020 before moving to Army South, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to serve as the NCOIC of Contingency Command Post operations until August of 2023.

From October 2007 through November 2008, SFC Muirheid deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraqi Surge Phase serving as a Rifleman, Sniper, and Team Leader in Northwestern Baghdad, Iraq. In June of 2010 through April 2011 he deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Consolidation III phase and served as a Sniper Team Leader and Reconnaissance Squad Leader in the Arghandab River Valley, Kandahar, Afghanistan. SFC Muirheid’s awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (Silver OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (4 OLC), Army Good Conduct Medal (5 Knot), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with star device, Iraqi Campaign Medal with star device, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (4 Device), the Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (3 Device), and the NATO Medal. His Unit awards include the Presidential Unit Citation (1 OLC), and the Valorous Unit Award. He wears the Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge and the Air Assault Badge.

SFC Muirheid is the widower of the former Tara K. Phillips of Nanih Waiya, Mississippi, with whom he has three children, their son Caleb (23, U.S. Marine Corps), their son Clayton (11), and their daughter Scarlet (9).

David Howe has been a resident of Murray since 1996. He is a graduate of Murray State University, receiving a Bachelor of Independent Studies in 2003 and a Master’s in English Studies in 2013.

Mr. Howe has served in the Army National Guard since 1988. He served as an enlisted member for 22 years, rising to the rank of First Sergeant before commissioning in 2010. He has deployed to Afghanistan, Bosnia, Ecuador, Germany, Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and Panama. He is a graduate of Military Police Officer Basic Course (MPBOLC) and the Military Police Captains Career Course (MPCCC).