Cailey Moore
Staff Writer
The President of the United States has reposed Special Trust and Confidence in the Patriotism, Valor, Fidelity, and Abilities of Jeffrey A. Price.
Family and friends gathered at the Pentagon’s Air Force Art Gallery June 12 to witness and celebrate the pinning of newly-promoted Colonel Jeffrey A. Price.
Hosted by Master of Ceremonies Captain Chad Headrick, the ceremony featured an array of speakers and the singing of the National Anthem by Major Anne Jones.
Director for the Army National Guard Lieutenant General Tim Kadavy presented the Host Remarks and the Publication of Orders. He was then joined by Price’s wife, Donna, and daughter, Alexis.
Kadavy and Donna pinned silver eagle shoulder marks to Price’s jacket while Kadavy and Alexis pinned similar shoulder marks to his shirt.
Following his pinning, Price took the floor with a few remarks of his own.
“I started out my speech by thanking God and my family – especially my wife and daughter for everything they’ve had to go through,” Price said. “I thanked the Lord for the blessings he bestowed upon me – the blessing He has bestowed on me, my friends and my family, and the blessing of being promoted. I thanked my friends, and I thanked everyone.
“Several people told me that it [the ceremony] was extremely nice, and that it was one of the best promotions they’ve come to.”
For those unfamiliar with military hierarchy and terminology, a colonel is a step between lieutenant colonel and a lieutenant general – or a one star general.
“You have a lieutenant colonel who wears the oak leaf,” Price explained, “and a colonel, which I am now, who wears the bird.”
Price’s service in the National Guard began in 1988 during his freshman year at college.
“At the time, I was going to Potomac State College,” said Price, “and I needed the extra income. I knew they would pay for college, so I enlisted in the Army Reserve.”
Once enlisted, Price spent the summer after his freshman year at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, undergoing basic and advanced individual training.
“I came back and was a week late starting my sophomore year of college,” Price recalled. “Then I stayed in and made a career out of it.”
Upon completing his training, Price returned to PSC and graduated with an Associate’s degree in Business in 1989. He went on to attend West Virginia University where he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Price graduated in 1991 and received his commission from the Reserve Officers Training Corps at WVU the same year.
Price continued his education at WVU, and in 1993, graduated with a Master’s degree in Safety Management.
In 2002, Price made the decision to become full-time with the Army National Guard, and two years later, he completed his Associate’s degree in Police Science at Marshall University.
“He has served in an array of command and operational positions throughout his career,” reads Price’s pinning ceremony program, “and has planned, coordinated and executed several Homeland Security events to include two Presidential Inaugurations and a G20 Summit.”
Price served as Deputy for Future Operations, USFOR-A, in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2012. While overseas, he also made several tours in Iraq.
Price’s deployment to Kabul, which lasted six months, was his first combat deployment. Before that, he traveled across the country doing training and evaluations and was deployed to Germany, Israel and Peru on non-combative deployments.
“I’m very thankful for my family and extended family,” Price said. “You’ll miss basketball and soccer games. You’ll be away, and a breaker will go out at the house. Your in-laws will be the ones to take care of things when you’re away.
“When I was deployed to Afghanistan, it was harder on my family than it was for me. I was over there working every day in a routine, and I knew I needed to worry about [my duties]. When a family member is deployed, the family back home worries about you every day.
Throughout his 27 years in the Guard, Price has been the recipient of a number of awards and decorations. He has received four Meritorious Service medals, four Army Commendation medals, nine Army Achievement medals, Afghanistan Campaign medal, Global War on Terrorism Service medal, Humanitarian Service medal, NATO medal, Joint Unit Citation, Bronze German Armed Forces Proficiency badge and an Army Staff Identification badge.
He also commands the 300th CM CO, the 35th WMD-CST, the JITEC CBRNE BN, the 151 MP BN and the WVARNG Training Center.
Price is currently serving as the Branch Chief, AMOTF, at the Headquarters of Department of the ArmyG-34. He has been at the Pentagon for 18 months and says he and his family will be in Virginia for the foreseeable future.
“I encourage our young people to take a look at the military and consider it as a career,” Price said. “I would think of it as a way to get out and see the world. You get paid to see the world, and you get the educational benefits. It’s been a great career, and the army has treated me well.”