Lieutenant Colonel Eric Boettcher, Civil Affairs, 2nd Bn (BCT), 415th Rgt, 2nd Bde, 95th Div (IET)

Lieutenant Colonel Boettcher enlisted in the US Army Reserves on 10 February 1987 as an 11-C Infantry Mortarman and completed basic training and advanced individual training at Ft. Benning, GA.   While residing in New Jersey, he attended ROTC at Seton Hall Univerisity and was accepted in the Simultaneous Membership Program serving as a Cadet with the 78th Training Division.  On 20 May 1990 he received an Army Reserve Commission in the Infantry branch and later received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree from William Paterson University.  He returned to Ft. Benning, GA and completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course in November 1992.

While assigned to the 78th Training Division for seven years, Lieutenant Colonel Boettcher was the Squad Tactical Training Committee Chief and Mortar Committee Chief. In 1994 he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California and was assigned to the 104th Training Division in Vallejo, CA, as a Company Executive Officer. He then transferred to the 91st Training Division at Parks RFTA in Dublin, CA in which he was assigned as a Military Police Observer Controller/Trainer and Company Commander while completing the Military Police and Adjutant General Officer Branch Qualification Courses and the Civil Affairs Officer Advanced Course.

In the year 2000, Lieutenant Colonel Boettcher initiated his Civil Affairs career while assigned to the 351st Civil Affairs Command (CACOM).  As the Civil-Military Operations (CMO) Planner he executed one six-month active duty assignment and thirteen additional missions, when stationed in Yongsan Garrison, Seoul, Korea, in support of the Ground Component Command, a combined and joint theater organization consisting of two field armies, twelve corps, and fifty divisions, with approximately 780,000 personnel. He integrated four-star general officer guidance into wartime plans, policies, and procedures while analyzing classified information, regarding all aspects of the North Korean populace and culture, in order to perform the subject matter expertise role for the commander. His subsequent duties and assignments were as the Operations Officer and the Administrative/Logistics Officer. His final duty assignment was as the Economic Functions Officer, specializing in civil-military economic development and stabilization operations, in support of the Korea Theater of Operations and United States Army Pacific Command.

Lieutenant Colonel Boettcher accepted his second Company Command assignment as the 351st CACOM Headquarters Command and served full-time for nine months while preparing his pesonnel for their deploymnet to Iraq.  He subsequently served two tours in Iraq.  He accepted his third Company Command and was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07 as the Civil Affairs Company Commander in Kirkuk, Iraq. He and his company personnel accomplished many successful tactical level CMO missions and were later selected to execute the "proof of concept" for the Provincial Reconstruction Team program that became an established policy in Iraq, following his first assignment there. Approximately two years later, he was deployed a second time in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-10 adn was assigned as the Mosul Reconstruction Operations Center (MROC) Chief of Operations, where he spearheaded the initiation and development of the MROC. He was later reassigned to the 25th Infantry Division Headquarters staff to assist in CMO planning for the northern Iraq provinces.

During the year 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Boettcher returned to the training spectrum and was assigned as a Brigade Observer Controller/Trainer with the 75th Training Division, specializing in training battalion commanders and staff at their mobilization station prior to their deployment in a combat mission. He is currently the Commander of the 2nd Battalion (BCT), 415th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 95th Division (IET), a five company “Drill Sergeant” battalion specializing in basic combat recruit training with over 120 assigned personnel.

Lieutenant Colonel Boettcher has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal (2nd Award), Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (4th Award), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2nd Award), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (7th Award), National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star Device, Iraqi Campaign Medal with (2) Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Silver Hourglass and Bronze M Device (2nd Award), Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd Award), and Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (14th Award). 

Mr. Boettcher, MSFS, CLU^®, ChFC^®, CASL^®, REBC^®, RHU^®, continued with his education to complete the Master of Science in Financial Services degree from The American College in Pennsylvania and was awarded the Military Economist and Civil Defense Officer skill identifiers through the US Army JFK Special Warfare Center and School. His five professional designations assist him in the management of his insurance and investment business located in San Ramon, CA. He is the founder of Patriot Presentations and discusses his wartime experience while deployed to Iraq. He motivates his audience to assist him in organizing donated goods to be sent to military personnel overseas. He has been married for 19 years and has two children while residing in the San Francisco-East Bay Area. He is a Benefactor Member to the National Rifle Association and Life Member of the Civil Affairs Association and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is a Corporate Member to his local Association of the United States Army chapter and is a member of the American Legion. Lieutenant Colonel Boettcher continues to serve honorably in the Army Reserve for over 24 years. 

As of:  20 September 2011