Colonel John J. Strycula was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, and graduated from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. Following the Military Intelligence Officers Basic Course, his first assignment was to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky. While with the Screaming Eagles Division, he deployed to OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/STORM as a platoon leader and company executive officer with the 311th Military Intelligence Battalion. His final assignment with the 101st Airborne Division was as the S2, 3-327th Infantry Battalion.

After completing the Officer Advanced Course, COL Strycula was assigned as S2, 3rd Greywolf Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. Later, he assumed command of Alpha Company, 312th Military Intelligence Battalion, providing intelligence support to 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. After command, he attended the Joint Military Intelligence College at the Defense Intelligence Agency. In 1998, COL Strycula moved to Germany, and was assigned to the Warrior Preparation Center as an Opposing Forces Operations Officer for simulation exercises in Europe.

After graduation from the Command and General Staff College, COL Strycula was then assigned to Fort Hood, Tex., as the S3, 104th Military Intelligence Battalion. He deployed with the battalion in March 2003 to Tikrit, Iraq, in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. During the deployment, he transitioned to become Deputy G2, 4th Infantry Division. After completing his assignment at Fort Hood, COL Strycula was selected for a military fellowship with the RAND Corporation where he worked on research projects on Counterinsurgency and the Battlefield Surveillance Brigade structure.

Most recently COL Strycula stood up and trained the Army’s first Military Intelligence Interrogation Battalion. Following the train-up, the unit deployed for 15 months to OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM to form the Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Center in Baghdad, Iraq, providing actionable intelligence to the warfighters.

COL Strycula is a graduate of the Military Intelligence Officers Basic and Advanced Courses; Airborne and Air Assault Schools; Command and General Staff College; and, the Naval War College. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University; and, Masters Degrees in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College, and, in National Security Studies from the Naval War College.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and the Parachutist and Air Assault Badges.