News

Harold Kwon retired from the United States Army Reserve in June 2014 as a Colonel, having served as Deputy and Acting Brigade Commander.

He proudly served the United States Army for more than 34 years, including combat and contingency deployments in support of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom.

His distinguished military career began as an enlisted Infantry Soldier and culminated in senior leadership roles as a commissioned officer. During his career, he served as an Infantry Enlisted Soldier and Infantry Officer, Combat Engineer, Civil Affairs Officer, and Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Officer, with assignments to U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) and Airborne units. Over the course of his service in both the Regular Army and the Army Reserve, he also served in the Engineer, Public Affairs (PAO), Information Operations, Special Operations, and Civil Affairs career fields.

Colonel Kwon held numerous command and staff positions across multiple combat units, including assignments with the 18th Airborne Corps and Special Operations Command Central. His leadership roles included Battalion Mobilization Officer, Battalion Executive Officer, Battalion Commander, Brigade G3 Operations Officer, Joint Task Force (JTF) Staff Planner, Deputy CIMIC Director, and several senior brigade-level positions such as CAPT Chief, CMOC Chief, Headquarters Element Chief, Deputy Brigade Commander, Acting Brigade Commander, and Detachment Commander (Kosovo).

He deployed to Kosovo and Iraq and participated in numerous Pacific regional natural disaster response and humanitarian missions. Additionally, he supported more than fifty major overseas joint and combined exercises throughout the Indo-Pacific region. He played an active role in ten annual Theater Security Cooperation Program (TSCP) exercises incorporating Special Operations capabilities.  

Colonel Kwon deployed to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Australia, Korea, and Thailand in support of the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) Commanding General’s Theater Security Cooperation vision. Indonesia was a key partner in this effort. He served as USAPAC Exercise Co-Director for Garuda Shield in Indonesia in 2012 and 2013.  His first Korea assignment was in 1984 at the Combined Field Army (ROK/US). 

His military awards and decorations include Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Clusters and 1 Oak Leaf Cluster). Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters), National Defense Service Medal (with Silver Service Star), Iraq Campaign Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with M Device), Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 50).

In civilian life, COL Kwon is Sr. Vice Commander, Veterans of Foreign Wars post 10276 (Fort Shafter)