Sergeant First Class John R. Pennington was born in Crossville, Tennessee on 19 July 1970; he enlisted in
the Tennessee Army National Guard as a Cavalry Scout, MOS 19 Delta in February of 1988 until
September 1991 where he transitioned to the United States Army as a MOS 19 Delta Cavalry Scout as
well. During his career, he has held many positions of responsibility, from Platoon Sergeant to S-3
Squadron Operations NCOIC receiving high accolades serving as a Battle Captain throughout two of his
three successful deployments to the Iraqi Theater of Operations. He is currently retired and serving as an
Army JROTC Instructor at Central High School Grand Junction, Colorado.
His military education consists of the Primary Leadership and Development Course, Basic
Noncommissioned Officers Course, Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course, Drill Sergeant
Instructor Course, Basic Instructor Management Course, Senior Instructor Management Course, Master
Instructor Management Course, Combat Lifesaver Course, Advanced Combat Lifesaver Course, Nuclear
Biological Chemical Course, Unit Hazard Waste and Management Course, Unit Noncommissioned
Officers Safety Course, and U. A. P. Course. He is a recent graduate of the Advanced Instructor Training
Course (JSOCC) for Army JROTC, and he has recently received his Teachers Certification from the State
of Kentucky and the State of Colorado. He has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and an
Associates Degree in Small Business Management from the University of Maryland Global College.
Sergeant First Class Pennington deployed to South West Asia with both 2nd ACR and 25th ID for
Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. His Military decorations include the Meritorious
Service Medal (One Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal ( Silver Oak Leaf Cluster), Army
Achievement Medal (One Oak Leaf Cluster), Operation Iraqi Freedom (Silver Star), National Defense
Service Medal (One Bronze Star), Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Expeditionary Medal, and
several permanent Unit awards including the Presidential Unit Citation Award (One oak Leaf Cluster),
Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, and Superior Unit Award.
Sergeant First Class Pennington holds the Drill Sergeant Badge and the Combat Action Badge. Sergeant
First Class Pennington has been married for 30 years to his wife, Kristine. They have two children, a son
named Bryce who is currently attending college at the University of Colorado, Denver starting his last
year of his degree in 3-D Digital Animation and Directing. They also have a Daughter named Audrey
who is currently enrolled in her first year at Colorado Mesa University working on her Literary Degree
continuing her quest to pursue her life-long passion of becoming a well-known author. They also have
four other children in their household, two Golden Retrievers named Marigold and Kepler and two cats
named Roco and Stormy. SFC Pennington's hobbies include drawing, fishing, camping, hiking, watching
college and NFL football, movies, and various subject documentaries.