Lt. Gov. Griffin promoted to Colonel in U.S. Army Reserves

Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin is no longer a Lt. Colonel. The state’s No. 2 executive has been promoted to Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. He was confirmed to the position, along with 11 colleagues, by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 12.

“I am honored and excited about the next step in my Army career and look forward to continuing my service. One of the best things I ever did was join the Army in 1996, and 22 years later I love it as much as I did then. My service in the Army also helps me in my role as Lieutenant Governor, especially as it relates to understanding the critical role of the Army and Air National Guard and the challenges and opportunities our service members face,” Griffin said.

He has been serving as a Senior Legislative Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon, a position he started in August. In July, Griffin completed a Masters from the U.S. Army War College.

He has served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, for over 20 years. He was mobilized to active duty in 2005 as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he successfully prosecuted U.S. v. Mikel, involving a soldier’s attempted murder of his platoon sergeant, and served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, Iraq, for which he was awarded the Combat Action Badge.

Griffin previously served as Acting Commander for the 139th Legal Operations Detachment (LOD) in Nashville, Tennessee.

U.S. Senator John Boozman, R-Ark., said, “Tim has always been motivated by a sense of duty which has led him to a life of service both in elected office and in the Army Reserves. His exceptional performance and strong leadership have earned him a promotion to the rank of Colonel and I am confident he will continue to excel in that role. I congratulate him and appreciate his continued service to our nation.”

Griffin, a Republican, has also served in the U.S. Congress and is a former U.S. Attorney.