Lt. Col. Matthew A. Turcotte was raised in Cranston, Rhode Island and commissioned as an Infantry Officer in December of 2002 after graduating from the University of Rhode Island Reserves Officer Training Corps as a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Turcotte’s first assignment was with the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division where he served as a Mechanized Platoon Leader and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from January 2005 thru January 2006. Upon redeployment, Matt served as Company Executive Officer and Battalion Assistant Operations Officer. In December 2006, Turcotte separated from the Army after his initial four-year commitment. As a civilian he was a realtor, a contractor with MPRI at Camp Beuring, Kuwait and later a Train Conductor with CSX out of Savannah, GA. In April 2009, Turcotte was commissioned into the Army Reserves as a Transportation Officer. He was mobilized in August 2009 and served as the 2nd Logistics Support Battalion, 349th Regiment Operations Officer at Fort Stewart, Georgia. After completing the Logistics Captain’s Career Course, he was reappointed into Active Duty thru the Call to Duty program and assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division in August 2011. Turcotte served as the Brigade’s Assistant S4 and later assumed command of Bravo Company, 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. In May 2013, Turcotte became the 1st Theater Support Command’s Commanding General’s Aide-de-Camp and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In July 2014, he moved to Fort Meade where he served as a Battalion S4 and later attended Navy Intermediate Level Education in Rhode Island where he received his master’s degree in Defense and Strategic Studies. After graduation, Turcotte served as a Company Commander in the Group Support Battalion, 1st Capabilities Integration Group and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He later served as the Executive Officer and Support Operations Officer for the Group Support Battalion and culminated his tenure with the 1st Capabilities Integration Group as the Director of Logistics. Turcotte is coming from Special Operations Command Central where he served as the Headquarters Commandant since July 2021.
Turcotte’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), the Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLC), the Joint Service Commendation Medal (1 OLC), the Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), the Senior Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and Ranger Tab.