Colonel Matt McFarlane is a native of Burke, VA and was commissioned into the Infantry in 1992 as a Distinguished Military Graduate at James Madison University. Following his commission, he was assigned to 2-5 Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas where he served as a Bradley Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer. In January 1995, he was assigned to the 2d Ranger Battalion in Fort Lewis, Washington where he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader. In March 1997, he was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC where he served as a G3 Training Officer, Brigade Assistant Operations Officer, and the Commander of A Company, 2-505 PIR where he deployed to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian in 1999. He then served in the 1st Ranger Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield as the Battalion S3 Air and S4, where he deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
Colonel McFarlane returned to the 2d Ranger Battalion in 2003 and served as the Battalion LNO, Operations Officer and Executive Officer where he deployed multiple times in support of OEF and OIF. Following his assignment at Fort Lewis, he served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Secretary of the Army and attended graduate school at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He assumed command of 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade in September 2008 in Vicenza, Italy. In December 2009, he deployed the Battalion to Afghanistan in support of OEF X. He is a 2012 graduate of the National War College in Washington, DC.
A graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses at Fort Benning, GA, Colonel McFarlane also attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree and Master Degrees in Management, Public Policy Management, and National Security Strategy. He is an Army Ranger, Master Parachutist, Pathfinder, Expert Infantryman and Combat Infantryman. His decorations include the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal, among various other decorations.
Colonel McFarlane is married and has two children.