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Lieutenant Colonel Stephen J. Buchanan II

Commander, JBLM Soldier Readiness Unit (SRU)

Lt. Col. Stephen Buchanan assumed command of the Soldier Readiness Unit, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., on October 7, 2020.  His previous assignment was as the operations officer for Regional Health Command-Pacific, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.  Upon commissioning as an infantry officer, Lt. Col. Stephen Buchanan served nine years on active duty.  His first assignment was with at Fort Lewis, Wash., with 1^st Battalion, 5th Infantry of the 25^th Infantry Division, where he served as a platoon leader, executive officer and battalion adjutant.  He then deployed to the Middle East as a strategic intelligence liaison officer from CFLCC to CFSOCC in 2003 during the Iraq invasion.  After completing the Infantry Advanced Course, he then deployed again as a strategic planner for the XVIII Airborne Corps in Baghdad during 2004-2005.  His last active duty position was at Fort Lewis, Wash., as an AC/RC team leader with 191^st Infantry Brigade.

Lt. Col. Buchanan joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 2009 and attended the Psychological Operations Qualification Course before immediately deploying to Afghanistan with the 318^th Psychological Operations Detachment as a detachment commander, serving in Jalalabad.  Upon promotion to major, he moved to the newly created ISAF Joint Command (IJC) in Kabul where he served as a strategic planner overseeing psychological operations and borders planning for IJC.  Upon his return, he served as the battalion executive officer for 14^th Psychological Operations Battalion before assuming command of 353^rd Psychological Operations Company in Las Vegas, Nev.  After command, he served as the group S4 before leading a deployed detachment to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., where he oversaw social media psychological operations for the CENTCOM area of responsibility.  Upon promotion to lieutenant colonel, he assumed responsibility as a branch chief for the CENTCOM-IO Great Powers competition.  His final position prior to this was as the SRO operations officer at JBLM.

He holds a bachelor of science in mathematics from the United Stated Military Academy, a juris doctor degree from University of Washington School of Law in Seattle, and an MBA from University of Washington Tacoma. He has also enrolled in the Army’s Advanced Operations Course. His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, and the Army Achievement Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters.  He also has received the Reserve Component Achievement Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M and X, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon with numeral 3, and the NATO Ribbon.  He has earned the Parachutist Badge (jumpmaster qualified), Air Assault Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, and the Ranger Tab, as well as several foreign parachute badges.  His primary branch is psychological operations; he also holds a secondary branch in civil affairs.
 

Command Sergeant Major Bunesiha Jones

Command Sergeant Major, Soldier Readiness Unit (SRU)

Command Sergeant Major Bunesiha Jones assumed responsibilities as the command sergeant major for the Warrior Transition Battalion (Now SRU), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, on October 3, 2019. Previously, she served as the senior chief career management/proponency sergeant major for the Soldier Support Institute at Fort Jackson, S.C. Command Sergeant Major Jones is a native of Elloree, S.C.  She entered the United States Army in 1995 and graduated basic training and financial management advanced individual training at Fort Jackson, S.C.
 
Command Sergeant Major Jones’ duty assignments include senior enlisted advisor of the 176^th Financial Management Support Unit (FMSU), Camp Humphreys, Korea; first sergeant of the 24^th FMSU, Fort Stewart, Ga.; senior enlisted advisor for the 160^th Special Operation Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; detachment sergeant of the 106^th FMSU, Vicenza, Italy; instructor at the Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Fort Jackson, S.C.; accounting specialist at the Joint Field Support Center, Fort Meade, Md.; debt management NCOIC at the 126^th FMSU, Fort Bragg, N.C.; vendor technician at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, San Antonio, Texas; accounting clerk at the 208^th Finance Battalion, Heidelberg, Germany.
 

Command Sergeant Major Jones’ education includes the Noncommissioned Officer Education System, First Sergeant's Course, Department of Defense Financial Management Certification; Deployed Operations Resource Management Course; Planning, Programming, Budget Execution System; enlisted combat skills; Combative; Small Group Instructor Course; Instructor Training Course; Action Officer Development Course and Military Accounting Course.  She is a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Class 67.  She holds a bachelor in business and management and currently pursuing a master in accounting.
 
Command Sergeant Major Jones’ awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, Joint Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 7 oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation Award, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Good Conduct Medal 8^th award, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCOPD with numeral 5 and NATO Medal 2^nd star.