Lt. Colo. Merchant was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He commissioned as an Armor officer upon graduation from Cedarville University in 2004. Following his completion of Armor Officer Basic Course, Merchant was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas where he served as a tank platoon leader through OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 05-07 and then as the Battalion S2 during OPERATION IRAQI FREEOM 08-09.
After formally transitioning to the Military Intelligence Corps and completing the Military Intelligence Captain’s Career Course, Merchant was assigned to the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade where he commanded the Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company from May 2011 through June 2012. In June 2012, he was selected to serve as an Observer Coach Trainer (OCT) and subsequently as an exercise intelligence planner at the Army’s National Training Center (NTC) in Fort Irwin, California.
Merchant attended the Army’s Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in June 2014 through June 2015. Upon graduation from CGSC, he deployed to the Korean theater of operations where he served for three years; first as the Chief of Operations for 8th Army G2, then as the Brigade S2 for the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, and finally as the Battalion S3 for the 524th CI/HUMINT Battalion of the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade.
In 2018, Merchant redeployed CONUS to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in Miami Florida where he served in the SOUTHCOM J2 through August 2021 as the Caribbean/Central America Team Chief within the Theater Analysis Division, Chief of Current Operations for the JIOC- South, and the Deputy of Operations for the JIOC-South.
In 2021, Merchant was assigned to the III Corps Staff at Fort Hood, TX where he served as the III Corps G2X. He deployed as a United Nations Peacekeeper in support to the UN Peacekeeping Mission to the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) in April 2022 where he served as the Chief Intelligence Officer (U2) to the UN Force Commander. He is currently serving as the Albany Recruiting Battalion Commander in Albany, New York.
In addition to his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History & Political Science from Cedarville University, Merchant holds a Master’s in Military History from Norwich University.
Military Education:
(2022) U.S. Air Force Evasion, Conduct After Capture (ECAC) Course
(2020) JPME II
(2019) DIA’s PACE Essentials Course
(2017) US ARMY Space Cadre Basic Courses 1&2
(2015) US ARMY Joint Planners Course
(2015) US ARMY Command and General Staff College
(2010) US ARMY Counterintelligence/Human Intelligence Course
(2010) US ARMY Military Intelligence Officer’s Advanced Course
(2005) US ARMY Armor Officer Basic Course
Civilian Education:
(2015) Master’s in Military History, Norwich University
(2004) Bachelor of Arts in History & Political Science, Cedarville University
Assignments:
(2023- Present) Albany Recruiting Battalion Commander
(2022-2023) UN Chief U2, MINUSCA, Central African Republic
(2021-2022) III CORPS G2, Fort Hood, TX
(2018-2021) USSOUTHCOM J2, Miami, FL
(2017-2018) 524th Military Intelligence BN, USAG Humphreys, Korea
(2016-2017) 35th Air Defense Artillery BDE, Osan Air Base, Korea
(2015-2016) 8th Army G2, USAG Yongsan, Korea
(2014-2015) Command & General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
(2012-2014) Operations Group, US Army National Training Center, FT Irwin, CA
(2010-2012) 513th Military Intelligence Brigade, FT Gordon, GA
(2007-2010) 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, FT Carson, CO
(2005-2007) 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, FT Hood, TX
(2004-2005) 2nd Squadron, 16th Calvary Regiment, FT Knox, Kentucky
Personal Awards:
UN Peacekeeping Medal (1)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award (2)
Meritorious Unit Citation (1)
Army Superior Unit Award (1)
Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2)
Meritorious Service Medal (2)
Air Force Achievement Medal (1)
Army Commendation Medal (4)
Bronze Star Medal (1)
Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device (1)
Army Achievement Medal (1)
Combat Action Badge (1)
Korean Defense Service Medal (1)
Army Basic Space Badge (1)
Iraq Campaign Medal with 4 Stars (1)
National Defense Service Medal (1)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (1)
Overseas Ribbon (4)
Patron Saint of Armor
Knowlton Award
German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, Gold