I enlisted in the Florida Army National Guard in 2007 as an Infantryman and completed One Station Unit Training (OSUT) at Fort Benning, GA. Then, I attended the University of Florida and commissioned as an Infantry Officer through its ROTC Program earning the George C. Marshall Award in 2011.
My previous assignments have been within the Florida and Rhode Island Army National Guards. I served as a platoon leader in 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment in FL. After this, transferred to 1st Battalion, 143rd Airborne Regiment out of Rhode Island. Then returning to the Florida Guard to serve as a Company Executive Officer, Company Commander, and Battalion Plans Officer in 1sr Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment. I served as the HHC Company Commander of the 2nd Battalion 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) and now as an Advisor Team Leader in the SFAB.
Military Education: Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ranger Training Assessment Course, Cadet Command Military Science Instructor Training Course, Unit Movement Officer Course, Air Load Planner Course, the Danish Home Guard Instructor Course, Danish Home Guard Special Shooting Course, the Maneuver Captain Career Course (Reserve Component), the Combat Advisor Training Course (CATC), Regional Advise and Assist Course (RAAC).
Awards: the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (1 OLC), National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, Air Assault Badge, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, Pathfinder Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency (Gold), Norwegian Foot March Badge (Bronze), German Parachutist Badge, French Parachutist Badge, and the Italian Parachutist Badge.
Deployments: Horn of Africa 2016-2017; Ukraine, Poland, Germany 2021-2022
I spent over nine months deployed to the Horn of Africa, commanding an Infantry Company tasked with base security operations. On my second deployment, I served in Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine leading up to the Feb 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Military Schools and Training
I have been honored to graduate from the US Army’s Ranger, Pathfinder, Air Assault, and Airborne Schools, as well as the Combat Advisor Training Course (CATC). Also, had the opportunity to compete in the airborne competition: Leapfest in 2014 and 2015. I conduct Joint Readiness Training Center Rotations: one with 54th SFAB rotation 21-09 and 3/20th Special Forces Group rotation 19-08.
training overseas, Hurricane Duty (Irma), and COVID19 Response
Over the last fifteen years, I have had the opportunity to embark on training missions around the world, including Hohenfels, Germany, 2012; Nymindegab, Denmark, 2017; Exercise Tradewinds, Barbados, 2017 and Tradewinds Guyana, 2021. I also served during the activation for Hurricane Irma in 2017, first operating shelters in Miami-Dade, then POD sites throughout the Keys. I served in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) during the initial COVID-19 response.
Tad Schnaufer II, Ph.D. 
