COL Thomas Nathaniel “Nate” Garner was born at Fort Belvoir, Virginia but spent most of his life growing up in El Paso, TX. Nate attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated with a commission in the US Army as an Armor Officer.
After graduation, Nate was assigned as a tank platoon leader in 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment where he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon return from Iraq, Nate was made the acting commander of his Troop and executed the Army’s Base Re-Alignment and Closure move from Fort Carson, CO to Fort Hood, TX, where he assumed duties as Troop Executive Officer. Prior to his second deployment to Iraq, Nate took over as the 3rd Squadron Maintenance Officer.
Nate commanded Assassin Company
(Mechanized Infantry), 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment and was subsequently selected to be the Battalion’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) Commander. As the HHC Commander deployed to the Arghandab River Valley, Kandahar, Afghanistan, Nate worked closely with District Leaders, Afghan Uniformed Police District Headquarters, and an Afghan Army Battalion. Nate also worked closely with the US Special Forces and saw great success creating Afghan Local Police as a conventional unit commander.
After company command, Nate attended graduate school at Georgetown University where he earned a Master’s in Public Policy. While in graduate school, he also took part in the UNC-IDB Strategic Studies Fellowship Program. Nate then taught American Politics, Policy, and Strategy in the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Nate went on to serve as the 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Executive Officer in the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, TX. He was selected to serve as the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team Executive Officer where he deployed to the Republic of Korea as part of the 2nd Infantry Division’s Armored Brigade Combat Team.
His subsequent assignment was on the Joint Staff J7 in the Pentagon, both in the Office of Irregular Warfare, and as a Joint Strategic Planner and Special Assistant to the Director J7. Nate commanded, 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment in the Ready First Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division and participated in another rotation to the Republic of Korea.. He was selected to serve as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, for the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, Texas. After attending an Army War College Fellowship at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Nate was assigned as the Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin.
Nate is married to Melissa, also of El Paso, TX. Nate is a member of the Order of Samuel Sharpe, Order of Saint George, and a Spur Holder in the U.S. Cavalry.