LTC Sawyer’s military career began in 1991 when he enlisted in the Virginia Army National Guard while attending college at Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia. Following graduation, Sawyer received his commission as an Infantry Officer in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in History/Political Science. His first assignment was with the 3rd Infantry Division where he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader and Mortar Platoon Leader in the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment.
During this timeframe he deployed to Intrinsic Action 1999, Kuwait LTC Sawyer’s next assignment was with the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana where he served as the G3 Air Officer, Battalion S4, and Company Commander, 1st Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment. LTC Sawyer’s next assignment was with the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), where he served as Assistant Operations Officer and Headquarters and Headquarters Company Commander.
Following his command time, he was selected to become an Army Strategist and attended the Basic Strategic Arts Program, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania and reassigned to the 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea as the Future Plans Officer from 2006-2007.
After leaving Korea, he reported for duty as a Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction Planner, United States Strategic Command Forward, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Upon completion of this assignment, he went back to school to attend the Command and General Staff College and National Intelligence University earning a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence, Washington, DC.
LTC Sawyer’s next assignment was with a Joint Special Operations Command Task Force in Iraq where he served as an Operational Planning Team Lead. Upon returning to the United States, he attended DISA the Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA. Following graduation, he was assigned to United States Southern Command where he served as the J5 Campaign/Strategy Branch Chief and as the United States Army Special Assistant to the USSOUTHCOMM Commander.
LTC Sawyer’s latest assignments include Blue Syndicate Planner, Allied Joint Force Headquarters Naples, Italy and Chief of Plans, Cyberspace Operations Director, Defense Information Systems Agency, Fort Meade, MD. He plans to remain in Maryland and further his career in the Department of Defense.
LTC Sawyer is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advance Course, Mortar Leaders Course, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, the Command and General Staff College, and the Defense Strategy Course. He has earned the Expert Infantry’s Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Ranger Tab. His awards include the Bronze Star Medical, Defense Meritorious Service Medal x 3, Meritorious Service Medal › 2, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal × 2, Army Achievement Medal x 4, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service Medal ×2. LTC Sawyer is married to Sandra Haynes Sawyer, a Veterans’ Disability Benefits Attorney, They have two daughters, Simone (PhD Candidate at George Washington University, DC) and Jade (a Senior at Virginia Union University, VA). He is currently working at By Light- IT Professional Services as a Cyber Strategic Planner.