Ben Van Meter

About

Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Benjamin J. Van Meter was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon. In 2004, he graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and was awarded a commission in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Upon completion of the Signal Officer Basic Course at Fort Gordon, Georgia, LTC Van Meter was assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado. He initially served as a Platoon Leader and later an Executive Officer during a deployment to Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Iraq in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM from November of 2005 to November of 2006.

In 2007, LTC Van Meter was assigned as the S-6 for the 4th Battalion (Attack), 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Camp Humphries, South Korea from 2007-2008. He was then selected to assume command of the brigade’s signal company from 2008 to 2010.

Following his tour in South Korea, LTC Van Meter attended the Signal Captains Career Course at Fort Gordon, Georgia in 2010 where he graduated as the Distinguished Honor Graduate. LTC Van Meter then remained at Fort Gordon to assume duties as a Training and Academic Counselor for the Signal Basic Officer Leader Course.

In 2012, LTC Van Meter was assigned to the 160th Signal Brigade in Kuwait. He deployed from Kuwait to Afghanistan as the Task Force Signal Plans Officer-in-Charge at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. After completing his deployment in 2013, LTC Van Meter was assigned as the S-3 and later Executive Officer for the 59th Signal Battalion at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. He then attended the Command and General Staff Officer Course in 2015, followed by an assignment as the Chief of Operations for the 93rd Signal Brigade at Fort Eustis, Virginia until June of 2016. LTC Van Meter then received a special assignment to serve under the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Central

Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida from June of 2016 to June of 2017. From 2017-2019, LTC Van Meter was assigned to the 2nd NATO Signal Battalion in Naples, Italy where he served as a troop commander and deployed in support of NATO Mission Iraq and OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE. After this overseas assignment, LTC Van Meter was assigned to the Joint Staff J-5 (Strategy, Policy, Plans), where he served as a cyberspace strategic planner and policy development action officer from 2019-2021.

LTC Van Meter’s decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2), Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2), Meritorious Service Medal (3), Joint Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (2), National Defense Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with one campaign star), Iraq Campaign Medal (with two campaign stars), Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal, War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (with numeral 5), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, NATO non-Article 5 Medal (2), and the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold). LTC Van Meter holds a Master of Science in Leadership from Norwich University. LTC Van Meter is married to Alesya Van Meter, who also serves as a commissioned officer (dietician) in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.