Lieutenant Colonel John F. Blankenhorn is an Armor Officer commissioned in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in General Management from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. 

Upon completion of the Armor Officer Basic Course, Lieutenant Colonel Blankenhorn served as a platoon leader in 4ID and platoon leader and staff officer in 3d ACR at Fort Carson, Colorado.  Following completion of the Armor Officer Advance Course, the Combined Arms Service Staff School and Cavalry Leaders Course in 1998, Lieutenant Colonel Blankenhorn served as the 1-1 Cavalry Squadron Maintenance Officer and C Troop Commander while stationed in Budingen, Germany.

In August 2001, Lieutenant Colonel Blankenhorn was assigned as a trainer to the 1-394th TSBn of the 75th ID (TS) in support of the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Enhanced Separate Brigade with duty in Shreveport, Louisiana.  He subsequently served as a Small Group Instructor for the Engineer Captain’s Career Course at Fort Leonard-Wood, Missouri from August 2003 to August 2005.

In September 2006, Lieutenant Colonel Blankenhorn was assigned to 3d ACR at Fort Hood, Texas where he served as Assistant Regimental S-3, Regimental Planner and a Squadron Operations Officer and Executive Officer in garrison and while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Prior to his current duties at the Great Lakes Recruiting Battalion, served as the Professor of Military Science at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Lieutenant Colonel Blankenhorn is a graduate of Intermediate Level Education at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) at Fort Benning, Georgia in 2006 and holds a Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech University.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (5 awards), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (2 awards), the Iraqi Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.  Lieutenant Colonel Blankenhorn also maintains the Valorous Unit Award as a permanent unit award.  His skill qualifications include the Airborne and Air Assault badges.

CSM Shepard was born and raised in Austin, PA where he joined the Army in 1987. He completed One Station Unit Training at Ft. Knox, KY, where he was one of four Soldiers selected into the Excellence of Armor Program, which allowed him to stay at Ft. Knox and be assigned to HQ’s company as an Advanced Individual Training Instructor. Upon completion, he was reassigned to 1/67 Armor Battalion, 2nd Armored Division at Ft. Hood, TX. Upon completion of his initial three year obligation, CSM Shepard left the Army only to return a short four months later. He reentered the Army in October of 1990 and attended Military Police (31B) Advanced Individual Training. Upon completion of MP training, he was assigned to the 984th MP Company, 759th MP Battalion, Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he deployed to the Gulf War in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Upon redeployment from the Gulf War Command Sergeant Major Shepard was reassigned to the 401st MP Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Brigade, Ft. Hood, TX. From there he was assigned to the 545th MP Detachment Ft. Greely, Alaska. His last assignment prior to being DA selected for recruiting duty was the West Point Military Police Company, West Point, NY. Command Sergeant Major Shepard entered the U.S. Army Recruiting Command in August of 1995 and was assigned to the Oklahoma City Recruiting Battalion. He has held numerous positions while assigned to USAREC, which include; Recruiter, Station Commander, Special Mission NCOIC, Senior Operations NCO, NCOIC of the first Mobile Recruiting Team, First Sergeant, Operations Sergeant Major and Command Sergeant Major. Command Sergeant Major Shepard’s military education includes; United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (Class 60), DA First Sergeants course, and all required NCOES Schools. He has also completed; Military Police Investigators Course; Unit Armor School; Air Assault and Modern Army Combatives' Instructor.

            Command Sergeant Major Shepard’s awards and decorations include; The Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with twelve oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with thirteen oak leaf clusters, Good Conduct Medal (8th Award) and the  Army Superior Unit Award. He is also a recipient of the Glen E. Morell Award for recruiting excellence.

            Command Sergeant Major Shepard’s accomplishments while assigned to the  Recruiting Command include; New Recruiter of the Year, On-Production Station Commander of the Year for fiscal years 1997 and 1998, Large Station Commander of the Year, NCO of the Year, First Sergeant of the Year for fiscal years 2006 and 2007.