Colonel Matthew P. Tucker graduated from the United States Military Academy and commissioned as an Infantry Officer in May 1998. His first assignment was as a Rifle and Scout Platoon Leader in the 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He went on to serve as Aide-de-Camp for the Commander, Special Operations Command – Pacific, deploying to the Philippines in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Upon completion of the Special Forces Qualification Course, Colonel Tucker was assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Stuttgart, Germany, where he served as an Executive Officer, Detachment Commander, and Task Force Operations Officer. During this time, Colonel Tucker’s deployments included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as multiple exchanges with the Israeli Defense Force.
Colonel Tucker was next assigned to the Department of the Army Secretariat in Washington, D.C. and subsequently served in the United States Army Special Activities Management Unit deploying in support of sensitive operations in multiple theaters. In June of 2012, Colonel Tucker assumed command of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and went on to serve as the Battalion’s Operations Officer supporting crisis response and counterterrorism requirements in Africa.
Following his assignment in the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Colonel Tucker served as the Director of Sensitive Activities and Targeting for Special Operations Command – North (SOCNORTH) and deployed in 2015 as SOCNORTH Chief of Programs in Mexico City, Mexico. Colonel Tucker next served, from July 2016 to June 2018, as Commander of 2-357 Infantry, 189th Infantry Brigade at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington. He was then selected to serve as the Executive Officer to the Director of Strategic Operational Planning at the National Counterterrorism Center. In January 2019, Colonel Tucker assumed command of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade deploying to Afghanistan as Commander of Task Force 220. Following graduation from the National War College in 2021, Colonel Tucker became the Commander of the 2nd Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
He is married to the former Michelle Allen of Ashburn, Virginia, and they have two children.