Col. Donny W. Hebel is the seventeenth Commander of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Col. Hebel earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Austin Peay State University and his Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. 

He commissioned into Active Duty in 1999. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course, Command and General Staff College (ILE), The Advanced Operations Course (AOC), and the United States Army War College. 

His previous military assignments included JFHQ-TN Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader, Support Platoon Leader, Company XO, Battalion S2, ROTC Instructor, OCS Instructor, Troop Commander, Squadron Assistant Operations Officer, Squadron Operations Officer, Squadron Executive Officer, JFHQ-TN Training Officer, JFHQ-TN Deputy G3, Squadron Commander, JFHQ-TN Deputy G1 and JFHQ-TN G3.

His deployments include Operation Enduring Freedom I from January 2002 to August 2002, Operation Iraqi Freedom I from March 2003 to January 2004, Operation Iraqi Freedom X/ Operation New Dawn from January to August 2010, and Operation Atlantic Resolve from September 2018 to June 2019.

Col. Hebel’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Iraqi Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with one campaign star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral two device, the Ranger Tab, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Pathfinder Badge.