Colonel Brian Meister joined the Army upon entering the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in June 1999. Following his graduation in May 2003, he commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Engineer Regiment. He later assessed and transitioned into the Civil Affairs Regiment in 2011.

His key assignments include: Platoon Leader and Executive Officer in C Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, Fort Richardson, Alaska; Company Commander, C Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, Fort Richardson, Alaska; Iraq Border Transition Team Logistics Trainer; Civil Affairs Team Leader, C Company, 81st Civil Affairs Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; Company Commander, B Company, 98th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Director of Partner Force Development, Special Operations Joint Task Force Operation INHERENT RESOLVE-Iraq; Executive Officer, 98th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Staff Officer in the Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Plans and Operations Branch, J9 Division, at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe; and Commander, U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion – Columbia, Fort Jackson, South Carolina; and Director, Civil Affairs Proponent, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Liberty, North Carolina. He currently the Director of the Stability Force Assistance and Stability Integration Directorate, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Colonel Meister has deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM three times, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, and to Bogota, Colombia in support of US Special Operations Command South.

Colonel Meister’s military schooling includes the Engineer Officers Basic Course, the Maneuver Captains Career Course, Civil Affairs Qualification Course, Command and General Staff Officers Course, Special Operations Jumpmaster Course, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, and the Army War College. Colonel Meister holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Arts in Global and International Studies, Interagency Studies, from the University of Kansas, and Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College.

Colonel Meister’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, and Senior Parachutist Badge, and the Recruiter Badge.

SFC McDermott is an elite U.S. Army Cavalry Scout and Bradley Fighting Vehicle Master Gunner with over a decade of combat leadership, instructional, and operational experience. Since enlisting in 2012, he has served as a vital combat multiplier across multiple global theaters, leading troops during critical deployments to Afghanistan, Kosovo, Europe, and South Korea. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for tactical precision, driving operational readiness, and successfully leading squads and platoons through high-stakes live-fire maneuvers.

Beyond tactical operations, SFC McDermott has served as a pivotal force generator for the Army. As a former Senior Drill Sergeant, he personally trained, mentored, and prepared over 2,000 soldiers for basic combat training, guiding international and domestic personnel through critical language and tactical integration. Additionally, as a Squadron Master Gunner, he planned and oversaw massive-scale gunnery training programs and engineered dozens of complex live-fire exercises to ensure peak combat effectiveness.

A graduate of the Maneuver Senior Leaders Course and the elite Bradley Fighting Vehicle Master Gunner Course, SFC McDermott is a highly decorated combat veteran. His military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, eight Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, the Air Assault Badge, and the NATO Medal.