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Colonel (Retired, US Army) Ross E. Davidson Jr.

Colonel (Retired, US Army) Ross E. Davidson Jr. is a recognized expert in ground combat operations, joint – combined arms warfare, and all related aspects of mission command systems, effective organizational design, and operations – intelligence integration. A 31- year combat veteran, he retired in 2019 as the United States Army’s senior Infantryman after serving as the Joint Staff J7 (Force Development) Directorate’s Operations Director and senior representative to the Secretary of Defense Close Combat Lethality Cross Functional Team. He has led and commanded soldiers at every echelon from platoon to brigade. He has deployed to combat over five times with tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Kosovo, and many contingency deployments in between.

As a senior Army leader, Ross served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G3/5/7 for the US Army’s I Corps, our Nation’s only regionally aligned, globally responsive operational level Joint Task Force. He returned from his final combat deployment in Afghanistan in 2014, where he served as the Chief of Staff for the Special Operations Joint Task Force / NATO Special Operations Component Command – Afghanistan (SOJTF-A / NSOCC-A), the senior joint-combined SOF headquarters in Afghanistan, responsible for the operational level coordination and application of full spectrum international SOF capabilities to enable Afghan SOF forces to defeat the insurgent and terrorist forces that continue to threaten international stability.

Ross has commanded combat soldiers at every level though Brigade and was honored to serve as the Brigade Commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division (“Iron Team”), at the time our Army’s only forward deployed and committed ground combat force charged with credible deterrence and rapid threat response in support of our Republic of Korea alliance. His efforts to improve the readiness of US ground combat forces in Korea through a combined training approach with multiple partnered ROK Army Brigades was recognized through the presentation of the ROK Presidential Order of Merit award.

A pioneer in SOF-Conventional force integration, Ross is the former Squadron Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment (RECON) (ABN) and Task Force FALCON, a combined arms maneuver task force specializing in night heliborne assault and follow on search and attack operations to destroy terrorist networks in Iraq in support of a Joint Special Operations Task Force mission to defeat the Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQIZ) terrorist network. Under his leadership, TF FALCON was credited with the destruction of the AQIZ network in Diyala province during a six-month JSOTF campaign in support of MNCI’s Operation ARROWHEAD RIPPER.

A native of Orrville, Ohio, Ross was commissioned as an Infantryman through ROTC from The Ohio State University in 1987, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and represented his University as an NCAA student athlete, earning three letters in men’s Varsity Lacrosse. Over the span of his 31-year active-duty career he served in numerous command and staff positions in the 2d Infantry Division, the Ranger Training Brigade, 24th Infantry Division, 3d Infantry Division, the National Training Center, 10th Mountain Division, 82d Airborne Division, 4th Infantry Division, and the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). He has served on multiple training and operational deployments to Korea, Panama, Egypt, Kuwait, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines.

He is a Graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced courses, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the Naval War College. He holds a master’s degree in business from Troy State University, and a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is an Eagle Scout, Ranger, Master Parachutist, and Combat Infantryman. He is married to the former Jodi Italiano of Youngstown, Ohio (The Ohio State University, 1987). They have one son, Ross Angelo, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets (Class of 2027). He supports his community as a high school lacrosse coach and assistant scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. He is an active supporter of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Ross is currently the CEO and founder of Chieftain Elite Consulting, LLC, a business venture he created in 2022. He and his team specialize in assisting clients with their strategic and operational planning requirements, and the mission execution solutions to deploy successful business operations, organizational management, and leadership development programs. He and his team of highly skilled professionals provide specialized research and analysis supporting national defense acquisition programs and associated strategies.

Ross and his team have worked with multiple clients on developmental projects ranging from advanced technological solutions for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms; Soldier lethality power management systems; Organizational readiness programs and associated systems; training exercise analysis and design; effective integration and fusion of intelligence and operations; and establishing a leader development baseline for business operations that accelerate growth and profitability. His company’s current work with New Mexico State University and White Sands Missile Range is paving the future for full implementation of the Department of Defense’s recently implemented Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC) program.

Military Assignment History:

  • Rifle Platoon Leader, C/1-503rd IN “First Rock”, 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea (ROK) [2 x DMZ Rotations; Operation TEAM SPIRIT].
  • Executive Officer, HHC / 4th Ranger Training Battalion (RTB), Fort Benning GA
  • [JOTC Support, Panama].
  • Team Chief, E/4th RTB (Light Infantry Leaders Course), Fort Benning GA [DEA Operation SNOWCAP mission support; NAVSPECWAR Ground Tactical Warfare Course Lead].
  • OIC, Division Assault Command Post, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Stewart GA
  • [Operation DESERT SPRING, Kuwait].
  • Rifle Company Commander, D/3-7th IN (Mech) “Cotton Balers”, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart GA [Operation BRIGHT STAR, Egypt].
  • Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart GA [MG Jay W. Hendrix].
  • Headquarters Commandant, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart GA [Operation DESERT THUNDER, Kuwait].
  • Light Infantry O/C Team OIC, Tarantula Team (ABN), Operations Group, National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, CA.
  • Operations Officer, Leader Training Program / Wrangler Team, Operations Group, NTC, Fort Irwin CA.
  • G3 Chief of Operations, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum NY [MNB-East G3 Chief of Operations, Operation JOINT GUARDIAN, Kosovo]
  • Battalion Executive Officer, 2-87th IN “Catamounts”, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum NY.
  • Battalion S3 Operations Officer, 2-14th IN “Golden Dragons”, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum NY [service with CJSOTF-N, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 1, the Northern Theater Campaign, Irbil, Iraq].
  • Brigade S3 Operations Officer, 2nd Brigade / 10th Mountain Division
  • “Commandos”, Fort Drum NY (Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 3, Baghdad, Iraq)
  • Squadron Commander, 1-73rd CAV (RECON) (ABN) “Blue Falcons”, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg NC [attached to JSOTF-Iraq as Task Force FALCON for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 5, Tikrit, Iraq].
  • ACofS G3, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson CO.
  • Brigade Commander, 1st BCT, 2nd Infantry Division “Iron Team”, Republic of Korea (ROK).
  • J3 Operations Officer, Special Operations Joint Task Force (Bragg), United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Fort Bragg NC.
  • Chief of Staff, Special Operations Joint Task Force (Afghanistan) / NATO
  • Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan, Operation
  • ENDURING FREEDOM, Kabul, Afghanistan (USSOCOM).
  • ACofS, G3/5/7, US Army I Corps (Joint Base Lewis-McChord)
  • Executive Director, Directors Action Group (DAG), The Joint Staff, J7 Force Development Directorate

Awards and Decorations: Legion of Merit w/ 1 OLC; Bronze Star w/ 1 OLC; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal w/ 5 OLC; Army Commendation Medal w / 1 OLC; Army Achievement Medal w/ 2 OLC; Navy Achievement Medal; ROK Presidential Order of Merit; Meritorious Unit Citation w/1OLC; Army Superior Unit Award; French Parachutist Wings.