COL John Reitzell (Ret)
After a 28 year
Army career, Colonel John Reitzell retired to
Huntsville, Al. and is currently employed by
Dynetics Inc, a Soldier centric Company that
specializes in R&D and engineering for the guys
at the pointy end of the spear. Col. Reitzell
served in the 82d Airborne, the 4th Infantry,
the 2d Infantry, the 2d Armored Divisions, the
173rd Airborne Brigade, and commanded the famed
1st Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry and is in
that unit’s Hall of Fame.
His
assignments began at platoon leader level and
increased in responsibility through Brigade
Command. He commanded 2 Infantry Battalions of
over 700 Soldiers and a Brigade of over 2,500.
In combat Col. Reitzell served as a commander in
Light Infantry, Parachute Infantry, and Ranger
Infantry. After a tour at the United States Air
Force Academy as “the Army guy” where he was the
Officer In Charge of the United States Air Force
Parachute Team, The Wings Of Blue, Col. Reitzell
spent a year in Korea as the operations officer
of the “Frontline Brigade” on the DMZ. What
followed were multiple years in “black” Special
Ops at Ft. Bragg, where he deployed on 36 “real
world” operations in support of the US Counter
Terrorism mission. Operations such as the
invasion of Grenada, the response to the
hijacking of TWA 847 and the seizing of the
cruise ship Achille Lauro by terrorists are
examples of these missions.
Tom Clancy chronicles Col. Reitzell’s
participation in the Achille Lauro response in
the “Chase” Chapter of his book “Shadow
Warriors,” and New York Times best selling
author W.E.B. Griffin has dedicated his new
series of novels on the rising threat of
terrorism to John. Col. Reitzell retired in 1997
as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army
Infantry School at Ft. Benning, and was inducted
into the Madison County, Al. Hall of Heroes in
2003. John speaks professionally for the Young
America’s Foundation and has addressed college
students on campuses across the country. He sits
on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee
Valley Chapter of the National Defense
Industrial Association and the
Huntsville-Redstone Chapter of The Association
of the United States Army.
Congresswoman Mary Fallin of Oklahoma says about
Col. Reitzell “that he should address Congress
from the floor and educate the Members on the
history of terrorism and the current threat” and
Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama says “I’m glad
John’s on our side.” Col. Reitzell retired with
3 Legions of merit, 4 Bronze Stars with “V”
device for valor, the Purple Heart, The Combat
Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutist Badge
with over 500 jumps, the Ranger Tab, and
numerous other decorations from multiple
services and countries. John’s wife Glenda is a
Gubernatorial appointee to the U.S. Space and
Rocket Commission and they have two grown
children.