AMERICA'S FIRST CORPS

Lieutenant General Matthew W. McFarlane is the Commanding General of I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. A native of Burke, Virginia, he was a distinguished military graduate from James Madison University where he commissioned as an Infantry officer in 1992.

Lieutenant General McFarlane has served in Ranger, Airborne, and Mechanized Infantry formations, with extensive experience in both conventional and special operations. He has commanded at the company through corps level, including a combined joint task force, while serving at numerous duty stations in the continental United States, Italy, Alaska, and Hawaii. His operational and combat experience includes leading service members in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

As a General Officer, Lieutenant General McFarlane has served as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations) in the 82d Airborne Division, the Senior Military Assistant for the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Commanding General of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, CO, the Deputy Commanding General for U.S. Army Pacific, the Commanding General of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, and most recently as the Deputy Commanding General of I Corps.

Lieutenant General McFarlane holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from James Madison University and Master’s Degrees in Policy Management from Georgetown University, Management from Webster University, and National Security and Strategic Studies from the National War College. He also completed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Fellows Program, Seminar XXI.

Lieutenant General McFarlane's awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, three Bronze Star Medals, the Master Combat Infantryman Badge with star, Master Parachutist Badge, and the Ranger Tab. He is a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and the 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne).

Lieutenant General McFarlane is married and has two grown sons.

Command Sergeant Major Jonathan E. Reffeor is the I Corps Command Sergeant Major at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. He enlisted in the Army in September 1997 in Sunbury, PA. He conducted One Station Unit Training at Ft. Benning, GA, where he earned the Military Occupational Specialty of 11B, Infantryman.

Command Sergeant Major Reffeor’s assignments include: Rifleman, Grenadier, 240B Machine Gunner, and Automatic Rifleman, 2-187 IN, Fort Campbell, KY; Team Leader, Hohenfels, Germany; Commanding General's Driver, 7th USA Training Command, Grafenwoehr, Germany; Squad Leader, 1/508 IN ABN, Vicenza, Italy; IOBC Squad Training, 2/11th IN, Fort Benning, GA; Rifle Platoon Sergeant, 1st Battalion 327th IN, Fort Campbell; KY; Company Tactical NCO, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY; First Sergeant, D Co 2nd Battalion 327th IN Fort Campbell, KY; Senior 1SG Observer, Operations Group - Controller/Training, Fort Polk, LA; G3 SGM, 3rd Infantry Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, Fort Stewart, GA; BN CSM, 2nd Battalion 69th CAB, Fort Stewart, GA; BDE CSM, 1st Armored Brigade, Fort Stewart, GA; and G3 SGM, USAREUR-AF, Wiesbaden, Germany. He most recently served as the Division Command Sergeant Major, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA.

Sergeant Major Reffeor deployed to combat four times; three times to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and one time to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2023 CSM Reffeor deployed to Poland on a nine-month rotation. CSM Reffeor’s military education includes: the Warrior Leader Course, the Advanced Leader Course, the Senior Leader Course, the Air Assault School, the Pathfinder Course, Mountain Warfare School, Airborne School, Rappel Master School, Combatives Level I and II, Commander and First Sergeant Course, Sergeants Major Academy (Class 66), Senior Commander’s Course, and Instructor Training Course.

His civilian education includes a high school diploma, associate degree and bachelor’s degree. He is a recipient of the Military Order of St. Maurice, Order of Saint George (Bronze), and the Field Artillery Order of Saint Barbara.

CSM Reffeor's awards and decorations include: the Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Campaign Medal with Arrowhead, the Army Good Conduct Medal (5th award), the Air Assault Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Airborne Badge (with bronze star for a combat jump), and the Master Combat Infantryman Badge. CSM Reffeor has been married to his wife Jennifer for 24 years. They have two children, Jordan and Isabella.

Chief Warrant Officer Five Barry L. Sledd Jr. is a native of Roanoke, VA. He enlisted in 1989 and attended Warrant Officer Candidacy School in 1999 after 10 years of enlisted service. Currently at 36 years of service and 26 Aviation Warrant Officer experience, CW5 Sledd has held various duties including Flight School Instructor Pilot, Platoon instructor pilot, Company Standardization Pilot, Task Force and Battalion Standardization Pilot, Instrument Examiner, Senior Warrant Officer Advisor, Senior Army Aviation Doctrine Writer, Army Standardization Pilot, Brigade Standardization Pilot, and Command Chief Warrant Officer.

CW5 Sledd’s assignments have included XVIII Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Special Forces Group, 7th Special Forces Group, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Task Force Bravo, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division, FT Rucker Doctrine Writer, 8th Army Standardization Officer, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 16 Combat Aviation Brigade, and 7th Infantry Division. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Sledd’s combat tours include Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Sledd’s military and civilian education include the Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Warrant Officer Senior Service Education, Air Assault Course, Basic Airborne Training, Rappel Master Course, SERE-C High Risk, Instructor Pilot Course, Rotary Wing Instrument Flight Examiner Course, Aviation Master Gunner Course, and his Bachelors of Science from Embry-Riddle University in Aeronautics.

CW5 Sledd’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal w/ 2OLC , Meritorious Service Medal w/ 5OLC, Air Medal for Valor, Air Medal w/ 5OLC, Army Commendation Medal w/ 6OLC, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal w/ 3OLC, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal 3rdAWD, Afghan and Iraq Campaign Medals, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, NCOPD Ribbon w/ 2OLC, Korean Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Ribbon, NATO Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Saudi Arabia Liberation Medal, Combat Action Badge, Master Aviator Badge, Air Assault Badge, Parachutist Badge.

CW5 Sledd has enjoyed 20 wonderful years of marriage to the former Marie Spear of Jacksonville, AR. They have two beautiful children: Damien (18) and Lance (16).

BG Joe Escandon began his Army service as an Infantryman in 1988. He subsequently served in infantry units at Fort Hood (3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry), and at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California (1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry Regiment). Upon completion of active duty in 1992, BG Escandon transitioned to the U.S. Army Reserve's 1st Battalion, 40th Armor, and began attendance at the University of Arizona. An ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate, BG Escandon commissioned as an infantry officer in 1996.

BG Escandon's first assignment was as a company executive officer in the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry, Infantry Training Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia. He next served as a rifle platoon leader and support platoon leader in the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment. In early 2000, BG Escandon returned to the ITB and commanded B Company, 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment. Following completion of the Infantry Captain's Career Course, BG Escandon was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, where he served as the battalion logistics officer and commanded C Company during Operation Iraqi Freedom I. After company command, he attended graduate school, and from 2005-2007 served on the Army Staff as a strategist in the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate of the G-3/5/7. From 2007-2009, BG Escandon was a student at the Command and General Staff College and the School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

In the summer of 2009, BG Escandon reported to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) at Fort Drum, New York, and immediately deployed to Afghanistan where he served as the operations officer of the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry during Operation Enduring Freedom IX-X. In the spring of 2010, he assumed duty as the operations officer of 3rd Brigade Combat Team (Spartans), 10th Mountain Division, and deployed with the brigade to Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. BG Escandon later joined 10th Mountain Division headquarters/Regional Command - South, serving as a planner and deputy division G-3/5/7.

He then served as the aide-de-camp to the commanding general, V Corps in Germany and as the aide-de-camp to the Commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Afghanistan. Upon returning to Fort Drum, BG Escandon commanded 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment. Following command, he returned to division headquarters to assume duty as the TAAC-E G-3, serving in Afghanistan until May 2016. From June 2017 to June 2019, BG Escandon served as the Commander, 2 BCT (STRIKE) and the 502nd Infantry Regiment, and the Executive Officer to the Army G-3/5/7. From February 2022 to June 2023, BG Escandon commanded the U.S. Army Joint Modernization Command, leading the organization through the execution of Project Convergence 22 and multiple other Persistent Experimentation events.

BG Escandon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Arizona, a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, two Master of Military Art and Science degrees from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster), the Joint Services Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Expert Infantryman's Badge, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, Army Staff Identification Badge, and the German Parachutist Badge.

Brigadier-General (BGen) Robbin Dove was born in Moncton, New Brunswick and enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1995 under the Regular Officer Training Programme. He was commissioned as an Armour officer upon graduation from the Royal Military College of Canada in 2000, and subsequently posted to the 12e Regiment blindé du Canada (12eRBC).

BGen Dove served in tank, reconnaissance and transport troops & squadrons at the 12eRBC, and extra-regimentally at the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School, from tactics instructor to squadron officer commanding. At the Combat Training Centre, he was employed as G3 and Chief of Staff, as well as Commandant of the Tactics School. He served in a staff capacity at Canadian Army Headquarters as G35 International, Staff Officer to the Commander, and Army Business Planner. As a Colonel, he fulfilled staff duties as G5, 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas, as Director of Current Operations at the Strategic Joint Staff, and Director Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. He commanded 3rd Canadian Division Support Group from June 2023 - July 2025, before being appointed Deputy Commanding General for Operations, I Corps of the US Army at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State.

BGen Dove completed operational deployments in Bosnia-Herzegovina (2001-2002); Afghanistan (2007-2008); the Democratic Republic of Congo (2013-2014); and Poland (2020).

A graduate of the Joint Command and Staff Programme and the US National War College, BGen Dove holds a Bachelor of Arts (History) and a Master of Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada, as well as a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College. He completed the Combined Joint Force Land Component Commander course in 2025.

BGen Dove and his wife have two adult children in high school and university. He enjoys triathlon, golf, home-brewing, and spending time in the outdoors with his family and dog.

Colonel Erin C. Miller born in Buffalo, NY, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps.

During the past 26 years, COL Miller has had the opportunity to serve with the 404th Aviation Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Division (Fort Cavazos, Texas), the 1st USA Support Battalion, Task Force Sinai (Sinai, Egypt), the 1 st Infantry Division (Germany), the First Army Division West (California), the 10th Mountain Division (Fort Drum, New York), and the 626th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team (Rakkasans), and 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) (Fort Campbell, Kentucky).

Her assignments include: Supply Support Activity Platoon Leader, Class III/V Platoon leader, Assistant Support Operations Officer, Battalion Operations Officer, Division General Supplies Officer, Company Commander, Brigade Combat Team S4, Battalion Executive Officer, Brigade Operations Officer, Brigade Support Operation Officer, Battalion Commander, 101st Air Assault Chief of Sustainment, 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade Commander, and 10th Mountain Division Chief of Staff.

COL Miller’s combat tours include a deployment to Kuwait in 1999 with Task Force 1-10th Cavalry in support of Operation Intrinsic Action 99-03, a deployment to Iraq in 2004 and 2006 with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II and Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08, a deployment to Afghanistan in 2011 with 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, a deployment to Afghanistan in 2018 with 101st Airborne Division and a deployment from July 2020 to July 2021 with 10th Mountain Division in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

Her Joint assignments include the Chief of the Logistics Readiness Branch, J4, Joint Inter-Agency Task Force South, Key West, Florida; the United States Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A) J4, Director of Logistics during her 2018 deployment to Afghanistan; during her 2020-2021 deployment, she was dual hatted as both the Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade Commander and CJ4 during the Afghanistan withdrawal; and most recently as the Executive Officer to the Commander, United States Transportation Command.

A graduate of the Quartermaster Basic Course and Combined Logistics Captain’s Career Course, COL Miller is also a graduate of the United States Command and General Staff College where she earned a Masters in Military Arts and Sciences, and served as an Army War College Fellow in the Center for Transportation and Logistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Her awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (with one oak leaf clusters), Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with one oak leaf clusters), the Meritorious Service Medal (with four oak leaf clusters), the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with C Device, the Army Commendation Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Army Achievement Medal (with one oak leaf clusters), the Combat Action Badge and the Air Assault Badge. Additionally, she is a member of the Orders of St. Martin, St. Maurice, and St. Barbara.