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Major Craig Nelson commissioned as an Infantry officer from the United States Military Academy in 2006. Craig served as a Rifle Platoon Leader in 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, and 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Savannah, Georgia, from 2007 through 2011. Craig served as a Company Commander in 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck, Germany and 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Savannah, Georgia, from 2012 through 2016. Craig deployed twice to Iraq and six times to Afghanistan throughout these assignments. Following the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Craig served in the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) as the Operations Officer for 1-91 CAV in Grafenwoehr, Germany and as the Brigade’s Operations Officer in Vicenza, Italy from 2017 through 2019.

Craig’s awards and decorations include the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Senior Parachutist’s Badge, the Army Commendation Medal with “V” device and one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device and two Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters.

Craig is married to the former Michelle Knowland of Rochester, MN.

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