LIEUTENANT COLONEL RUSSELL ELIZONDO 

Lieutenant Colonel Russell J. Elizondo assumed command of the U.S. Army Dallas Recruiting Battalion on July 21, 2011 after attending the British Advanced Command & Staff College in England. 

Lieutenant Colonel Elizondo enlisted in the United States Army as a Food Service Specialist in 1985 and served in the Republic of Panama from 1985-88. He re-enlisted into the Texas National Guard and attended Texas A&I University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Upon graduating, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Aviation Branch.  His professional military education includes Aviation Officer’s Basic Course, Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course, Aviation Officer’s Advance Course, Combined Arms Staff Service School, Command and General Staff College and the British Advanced Command & Staff College. 

LTC Elizondo’s assignments include Bravo Company, 2-501st Aviation at Camp Humphreys, Korea;  Executive Officer, Bravo Company, 4-123rd Aviation, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Battalion Logistics Officer, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7-101st Aviation, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Commander the Rio Grande Recruiting Company in McAllen, Texas; Assistant Operations Officer, 7-101st Aviation during Operation Iraqi Freedom; Commander, Charlie Company, 7-101st Aviation; Logistics Officer ,159th Aviation Brigade, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Deputy G3 Air and then S3 and Executive Officer for 2-227th Aviation, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade during Operation Iraqi Freedom; Brigade Executive Officer, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. 

LTC Elizondo’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with one Service Star, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 4 Device, the Senior Army Aviator Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Silver Recruiter Badge.

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR MICHAEL MATHIS 

Command Sergeant Major Michael Mathis assumed the position of Command Sergeant Major for the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion in September of 2011.

Command Sergeant Major Mathis was born in Augusta, Georgia. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1982 completing Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training as a Military Police Soldier at Fort McClellan, Alabama with his first duty assignment with the 529th Military Police Company in Heidelberg, Germany, where he served in the Personal Protection Team for the NATO Supreme Allied Commander. His other assignments included Military Police duties at Fort McPherson Georgia; 615th Military Police Company in Nuremburg Germany where he was a Squad Leader and the 503rd Military Police Battalion (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he served  as a Platoon Sergeant.

Command Sergeant Major Mathis joined the United States Army Recruiting Command when he was assigned as a Field Recruiter with the Columbus, Georgia Recruiting Station working his way up through the Station Commander position. His next assignment was as a Recruiting and Retention School Instructor at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. After his tenure as an instructor, he served as the First Sergeant of the Covina Army Recruiting Company, Los Angeles Army Recruiting Battalion California. He returned to Fort Jackson as the Recruiting Department Sergeant Major at the Recruiting and Retention School. His next assignment was as the Command Sergeant Major, Baton Rouge Army Recruiting Battalion.

Command Sergeant Major Mathis has completed all phases of the Noncommissioned Officer Development Program to include the First Sergeants Course and Sergeants Major Academy. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resources from Excelsior College and is pursuing his Master’s Degree.

Command Sergeant Major Mathis’ military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Service Medal with Star Device, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Star Device, the Kuwait Liberation Medal,  the Saudi Liberation Medal, the Southwest Asia Campaign Medal, the Superior Unit Award (3rd Award), the Parachutist Badge, the Gold Recruiter Ring and the convent Glenn E. Morrell Recruiting Medallion.