Colonel (Ret.) Matt Karres is a 1990 graduate of The Citadel, where he was commissioned into the Infantry and assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) where he served as a rifle platoon leader during Operation Desert Storm. After qualifying as a Green Beret, Matt was assigned to the 3 rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he conducted multiple operational deployments to Africa and Bosnia and multiple tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Matt also commanded the Unconventional Warfare training company for the Special Forces Qualification Course. Subsequently, he served as a branch chief and program manager at the US Special Operations Command in J-3X. Matt commanded the 1st Cavalry Division Special Troops Battalion at Fort Hood, TX, which included a 12-month deployment to Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Subsequent to command, Matt returned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) as the Deputy Commander and then served as the Chief of Staff of the US Army Special Forces Command from 2012-2014. Matt holds a Master of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He is a graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, VA, and a graduate of the US Naval War College in Newport, RI where he received a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. Matt retired from active duty in 2014 and has since served in multiple roles in the private sector. Matt now serves as the Director of SOCOM Programs for L3Harris Communications Systems business segment.