Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) John J. Trylch enlisted in the U.S. Army at 18 years old, serving as an Army Medical Specialist, until receiving an ROTC Scholarship and then a commission as an Armor Officer in 1997. After almost a decade in the combat arms and tours of duty with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq, John was selected to become an Army Foreign Area Officer (FAO), specializing in security cooperation and U.S. defense policy matters throughout the Western Hemisphere. His assignments as a FAO included service at U.S. embassies in Argentina and Guatemala, as well as in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon and at NORAD and U.S. Northern Command. Deciding to retire after 24 years of service in the Army, John joined the City of Fountain as the City’s first Communications, Strategy and Military Partnerships Manager. Translating his extensive military experience to service in local government, John now provides assistance and advice to many organizations on partnership building, policy development, organizational leadership and strategic planning.

John received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is a Distinguished Military Graduate of Colorado State University, and holds a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from Vanderbilt University. Some of his awards and decorations include the NATO Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Legion of Merit.