LTC Matthew McGraw

LTC Matthew L. McGraw was born in Beaufort, South Carolina to a Marine Corps family and was raised around the US, before settling in Mobile, Alabama. LTC McGraw attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Studies.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Aviation Branch in July of 2001, and married the former Janice Ramirez, of Phoenix, Arizona that October. Upon completion of Initial Entry Rotary Wing, Aviation Officer Basic, the Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Qualification Course, and the Special Electronic Mission Aircraft Course, LTC McGraw was assigned as the Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Platoon Leader for B Co, 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation), in Wiesbaden, Germany. He deployed with the platoon to Balad, Iraq in 2004, and commanded as the Battalion RearDetachment, for the unit's second deployment to Iraq in 2005.

In 2007, LTC McGraw graduated from the Military Intelligence Captains Career Course, and immediately joined Task Force Observe Detect Identify and Neutralize (ODIN) at Ft Hood, and deployed to Tikrit, Iraq as the Deputy S-3 for the Task Force. In 2009, he took command of A Co 15th MI Bn (AE), at Ft Hood, Texas and led the HUNTER Unmanned Aerial Systems Company, and Sky Warrior Block 0 detachment through a deployment to Balad, Iraq. In 2011, LTC McGraw was assigned as the Executive Officer(XO) and S-3 of 3rd MI Bn (AE) at Camp Humphreys, Korea.LTC McGraw was then selected as the first aviator to attend the Army Intelligence Development Program (AIDP), Fort Meade, Maryland. Following AIDP, LTC McGraw was assigned as the Collection Manager for the United States Army Pacific (USARPAC)in 2014. Two years later, LTC McGraw was selected to command the United States Army Priority Air Transport – Pacific Flight Detachment (USAPAT-PFD) and Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Hickam. Following two years in command, and two four-month rotations to Afghanistan, LTC McGraw deactivated the PFD, and completed his Hawaii tour as a research fellow with the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS), and earned his Master of Arts in Intelligence through the American Military University.

LTC McGraw was elected to command the 1-214th Aviation Battalion (General Support) headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany with units in Ansbach and Grafenwoeher. He led operations across the European theater and participated in multiple multi-national exercises. Following Battalion Command, LTC McGraw moved to United States European Command at Stuttgart, Germany as the Chief of Intelligence Collection responsible for managing Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance operations for U.S., bilateral, and multi-lateral missions across the theater.

LTC McGraw's decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), Air Medal (2), Army Commendation Medal with C-Device (w/OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (w/OLC), Master Army Aviator Badge, and the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation. LTCMcGraw has more than 3000 flight hours across the OH-58, C-12, RC-12, C-20, and UC-35 aircraft. He is a qualified ODNI Collection Manger, Imagery Officer, Signals Intelligence Officer, USAF ISR Operations Manager, and Joint Cyber Planner. LTC McGraw is accompanied by his wife Janice and his two sons Sean (16) and Nathan (12).