Reginald E. Allen

Colonel (Retired) Reginald E. Allen is a member of the United States Government Senior Executive Service (SES) and is currently serving as the Director of Administrative and Executive Services for EPA in Washington, D.C.

Prior to his SES selection in 2015, he served 30 years as an active duty combat arms officer in the United States Army. His last assignment was as the Special Assistant to the Director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Defeat Organization, where he supported Defense Department actions to provide counter-IED capabilities and help defeat the IED as a weapon of strategic influence. He also served as the Director of the Home-Made Explosives Task Force.

Col. Allen was born in New York City and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Cavalry in 1985. He served in numerous command, staff and leadership assignments around the world. As a company grade officer, he was first assigned to 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado, where he served as a Tank Platoon Leader (PL), Mortar PL, and Company Executive Officer. As a Captain, he served in 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment in Germany as Plans Officer, Training Officer, and later OIC of the Tactical Command Post during Operation Desert Storm.  He also commanded a Cavalry Troop in 3rd Squadron and later a tank company in 3rd Battalion, 77th Armor in Mannheim.

After command, Col. Allen served as Aide and later Special Assistant to the Commanding General, Director of Strategic Planning, and later Director of the Advanced Warfighting Working Group at the Armor Center, Fort Knox, Kentucky.  In 1997, Col. Allen was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia as Chief of Operations, Tank Battalion Operations and Executive Officer for the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor.  In 2001, Col. Allen became the Assistant Deputy Director for Operations in the National Military Command Center on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon.

In June 2003, Col. Allen assumed command of 1st Squadron, 10th United States Cavalry “Buffalo Soldiers” on the Iran-Iraq Border. The Buffalo Soldiers (4th ID (M) Division Cavalry Squadron) conducted a year of combat operations in Iraq. Task Force Saber consisted of three battalion-size units and over 2100 soldiers at the height of operations, the largest battalion-level combat formation in Iraq. Col. Allen led the armor combat force in the operation that captured Saddam Hussein, secured the Iran-Iraq border, eastern Tikrit, and later Balad Joint Air Base,which was then the largest concentration of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Col. Allen changed command in the summer 2005 and was assigned to Army Staff in the Pentagon where he served as a future operations planner and later as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Army.

In 2008, Col. Allen was selected to be the Operation Officer for III Corps/Fort Hood, “America’s Armored Corps”.  In 2009, he assumed command of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment “Brave Rifles”.  He deployed the regiment in 2010 on its 4th combat deployment for Operation New Dawn in Iraq. The regiment conducted a year of combat and training operations, helping to set the conditions for an honorable U.S. forces exit from Iraq.  Col. Allen relinquished command in November 2011.  In 2012, he became the Executive Officer to the Under Secretary of the Army for two years.

Col. Allen holds an M.S. in National Security Strategy from the National War College, a M.A. in Education from the University of Louisville and a B.S. in Business from North Carolina A&T State University. Col. Allen is a graduate of the United Kingdom Higher Command Course.

Col. Allen’s highest military awards include the Legion Of Merit (x4), the Bronze Star (x3); Defense Meritorious Service Medal (x2); and the Meritorious Service Medal (x7).

Col. Allen is married to Ingrid Allen and they have two wonderful children, Paris Allen and Xavier Allen.