Coulter, Jeff, MAJ

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE ARMY.
I had always wanted to serve my country. My mother was in the Army at the end of the Vietnam Era, and I spent significant time with my grandparents, who were part of the WWII generation. Service and sacrifice were things I was taught from a very young age. I initially thought I wanted to join the Air Force to fly, but some time in JROTC in high school and the influence of the NCOs I met there changed that. I enlisted in the Army Reserve as a high school junior and went on active duty as soon as I graduated. The photo was taken during my first NTC rotation in Jan 94.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
As I said, I enlisted in the USAR in Dec 88 as an HS junior. I switched to the RA during the spring of my senior year and went to AIT in the summer of 90 as a track vehicle mechanic. I went to the 23d Engineer Bn (3AD) in Germany in Sep 90, served in Desert Storm, and returned stateside in Sep 92 to Fort Polk, LA, and the 588th Engineer Bn. We moved to Fort Hood, TX, as part of BRAC in May 93, and I left active duty in Dec 94.

I returned to the same USAR unit I'd started in, switched to the TXARNG, and then got an ROTC scholarship to Cameron University in Lawton, OK There were some problems, so I left the school after a semester and returned to the USAR, this time to an MP Det in Huntsville, TX I applied for AGR recruiting duty and reported to the Beaumont North recruiting station in Jan 2000 after completing the Army Recruiter Course During that three-year tour, I completed my BAAS degree and left the AGR program as an SSG.

Upon returning to the USAR, I reported to a training support unit in Beaumont and was almost immediately mobilized on Jan 03. We spent six months at Fort Polk, LA, and six months at Fort Hood, TX, training USAR and ARNG units that were deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. During this time, I submitted my application for a direct commission. Upon completing my year of mobilization, I was commissioned as an MP officer in the USAR. I completed my OBC that spring and summer and reported back to Fort Hood, where my unit was still mobilized.

I volunteered to go back on active duty and remained at Fort Hood until July 06, when I was accepted into the RA. I reported to Fort Carson, CO, where I served as company XO and rear Det Cdr with the 59th MP Co. I volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan with a provincial reconstruction team on Dec 07. Upon returning on Nov 08, I left Fort Carson for the MP Cpts Career Course at Fort Leonard Wood. Upon completion on Jun 09, I reported to HHC, USDB at Fort Leavenworth, KS as a company commander. After 17 months, I changed command and spent the remainder of my tour there as XO of the 40th MP Bn (rear provisional).

I then went to La Mesa, CA, for duty as commander of the La Mesa Recruiting Co, part of the Southern California Army Recruiting Bn. I really enjoyed my time in southern California. From there, I went to the 41st Fires Brigade at Fort Hood, TX, with TDY en route to the Simulation Operations Officer course. While I was there, we transitioned from a brigade to the 1st Cavalry Division Artillery. The highlight of my tour there was in May 2015. I was assigned to run a simulations cell at Fort Irwin, CA, to support my unit during the first DIVARTY NTC rotation in 10 years. When I returned, my retirement orders were waiting, and I had decided that it was time to go do something different That was in 2016, and I haven't looked back.

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
I served in both the first Gulf War as a track mechanic with B/23d Engineer Bn, part of 3AD, and as an operations officer and battle captain with the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan in 08. The first Gulf War probably had a greater effect on me because I was so young and new to the Army.

DID YOU ENCOUNTER ANY SITUATION DURING YOUR MILITARY SERVICE WHEN YOU BELIEVED THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY YOU MIGHT NOT SURVIVE? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME.
Fortunately, no. God was with me so I never found myself in that kind of situation.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
I've never had a totally bad or totally good duty station. The worst was probably Fort Polk, LA, simply because it's just not a healthy climate, and there was very little to do there.

My favorite has been southern California because it had great weather, there's so much to do, and I made some of the best friends of my life.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
The times I spent in command of troops. It's got to be one of the most difficult yet most rewarding of all duties in the Army.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
My highest award has been the Meritorious Service Medal. I retired with four of them.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
The most meaningful item on my uniform is my gold Army Recruiter's Badge. I hated recruiting duty, both as an NCO and as an officer, but I worked my butt off both times. I truly earned that badge.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
I've had some great mentors as a Soldier, but my wife Victoria has truly been my rock and the person who has had the most impact on my success.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
I am a Dept of the Army civilian employee (GS-11). I do recruiting and enrollment for an Army ROTC battalion.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
The Army and my Christian faith have been the primary factors that have made me into the man I am today.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE ARMY?
The Army is like life. You get out of it what you put into it.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
It has allowed me to keep tabs on several people that I have served with in the past.

KC 8.12.22