LTC (Retired) Sam C. Blanton III

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Sam C. Blanton III (AKA - Tripp)

Senior Army Instructor, Stratford High School

   LTC (Retired) Sam C. Blanton III was born and raised in Summerville, South Carolina. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina and a Master of Science degree in Adult Education from Kansas State University. He also served in the Army’s Training with Industry program at Landstar Transportation Incorporated.

   He has served in significant command and staff positions that span the globe. His assignments include Platoon Leader and Movement Control Officer, 22^nd Support Group, Vicenza, Italy; Executive Officer, 598^th Maintenance Company, 13^th Corps Support Battalion, Somalia; S1 and Transportation Officer, 13^th Corps Support Battalion, Ft. Benning, GA; Operations Officer and Commander, HHC XVIII Airborne Corps, Ft. Bragg, NC; Aide-De-Camp, Headquarters Military Traffic Management Command, Falls Church, VA; S3 and Executive Officer, 837^th Transportation Battalion, Pusan, South Korea; Chief, Joint Movement Center, Chief, Mission Division (PACOM Deployment and Distribution Operations Center) and Deputy Chief, Transportation Policy Branch, US Pacific Command J4, Oahu, Hawaii; S3, 598^th Transportation Brigade, Rotterdam, Netherlands and Deputy Commander, 595^th Transportation Brigade, Kuwait; Commander, 837^th Transportation Battalion, Pusan, South Korea; and Director, Office of the Chief of Transportation, Fort Lee, Virginia.

   LTC Blanton’s military schooling includes the Transportation Officer Basic Course; Air Deployment Planning Course; Battalion Maintenance Officer Course; Joint Planning Course; Shiploading & Stowage Course; Combined Logistics Officer Advanced Course; Combined Arms and Services Staff School; Army Command and General Staff College; Joint Professional Military Education Course (Phase II) and the Senior Officer Legal Orientation Course.

   LTC Blanton’s awards and decorations include the Legion Of Merit, Bronze Star Medal; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal; Joint Service Achievement Medal; Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters; National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Global War On Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals; Korean Defense Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal with Bronze Star; Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; United Nations Medal (Somalia); Joint Meritorious Unit Citation with two Oak Leaf Clusters; Air Assault Badge; Parachutist Badge; and Australian Jump Wings. He is also the recipient of the Transportation Corps Saint Christopher Medal (Ancient Order). He was recently inducted into the Transportation Corps Hall of Fame and recognized as a Distinguished Member of the Regiment. LTC Blanton was selected early for promotion to Full Colonel, attendance at the Army War College, and Brigade Command prior to his retirement November 2011. Most recently, he was selected as Stratford High School 2014 Teacher of the Year.

   LTC Blanton is married to the former Martie Hook of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and they have two children, Anne Smith (19) and Sam (17).