Guest Profile
Colonel Trina Rice
Colonel Trina Rice is a native of New York City. She earned her undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA where she also earned her commission as a Second Lieutenant through their esteemed Corps of Cadets program. She is currently the Military Deputy G1 at Army Materiel Command, the Army’s third largest organization, headquartered in Huntsville, AL, providing HR support to over 165,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel stationed around the globe.
Colonel Rice began her career in 1997 in the Air Defense Artillery. In 2001 as a participant in the Branch Detail Program she automatically transferred into the Adjutant General’s Corps, where she has served as a Human Resources officer over the course of nearly 23 years. During that time, she has served in Korea, Fort Bliss, TX, Atlanta, GA, Fort Riley, Kansas, two tours in Hawaii and three at the Pentagon. She is a recent graduate of the United States Army War College in Carlisle, PA.
As a junior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rice served as a Tactical Control Officer, Maintenance Platoon Leader, and Executive Officer in 1-43 Air Defense Artillery (PATRIOT) Battalion in Suwon, Korea. Upon completion of the assignment, she was reassigned to 5-52 Air Defense Artillery (PATRIOT) Battalion in Fort Bliss, TX where she served as a Launcher Platoon Leader then on the staff as the Battalion’s Human Resources Officer (S1). In this position, she deployed with the unit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH.
Colonel Rice served her first tour in Hawaii from 2001-2003, where she was a commander and then battalion operations officer (S3) for the 556th Personnel Services Battalion. Following this assignment, she would spend the next four years in Atlanta, Georgia. First as a recruiting company commander for the Atlanta Recruiting Company followed by Human Resources assignments on operational and strategic level staffs.
In 2007, returning to Schofield Barracks, HI, she served as the Senior Human Resources Officer and deployed 15 months to Iraq, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. In 2011, Colonel Rice began the first of three tours at the Pentagon working on the HQDA Human Resources staff. She served as the Army’s lead for developing the Department of Defense’s policy to allow women to serve in all combat roles. Her work led to women attending Ranger School and their current ability to serve in the Infantry, Armor, and all other once closed assignments to women.
Colonel Rice was reassigned to the Joint Staff of the USNORTHCOM/NORAD in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2013. There she served in dual roles as a Commander and in J1 standing up the first Training and Development Branch. In 2015, she was reassigned to 1st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas.
While at Fort Riley, she served as the G1 for a 10k+ organization. During this tour she again deployed to Iraq, serving as the CJTF-OIR J1. Upon return, Colonel Rice began her second Pentagon tour on the Army staff. This time she developed policy impacting Soldier readiness and enlisted Soldiers’ promotions and separations. Afterwards, she served as the G1 for US Army Forces Europe – Africa (USAREUR-AF).
Colonel Rice completed her assignment in 2021. Responsible for HR functions in support of more than 155,000 personnel, she collaborated to establish tours in Romania and start the process for Poland, and took the lead to develop Joint COVID-19 policies and operations. In 2023, she was reassigned once again to the Pentagon as the Senior Military Assistant to the Undersecretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), the Department of Defense’s Chief Human Resources and Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
Colonel Rice holds Master’s degrees in Human Resources Management and National Security Strategy in addition to internationally recognized professional certifications. Her awards and commendations include the Defense Superior Service Medal and Bronze Star.
