Jonathan M. Stone

Major Jonathan Michael Stone (born 1970) is a former officer in the United States Army who is regarded as an influential expert on advisor and transition teams.

After growing up in Naples, Italy, he attended Tennessee Technological University, where he graduated in 1994 as the ROTC Cadet Battalion Commander . He served as a tank platoon and mortar platoon leader during the Bosnia War, deployed as the Initial Entry Force OIC and Battle Captain into Kosovo in 1999, then commanded an M1 Abrams Tank Company in Germany with the 1st Infantry Division (United States) for which he was awarded the Order of Saint George Medallion.

Reassigned to a Stateside Armor Training Team, he mobilized, trained, and certified countless Army National Guard units for action in the Global War on Terror including During this period he was recognized by Lieutenant General Russell Honore as the 1st Army's principal expert on the Kosovo training module. Because of this accomplishment, he was selected to lead the first wave of advisors into Iraq in 2005 as a Battalion Commander Advisor for an Iraq infantry battalion. While there he again earned the respect of several general officers as he was responsible for the first Iraqi unit in Northern Iraq to assume battle space from the US Forces.

During the CGSC 2006-2007 he participated in several group studies on Advisors in Combat . During this period he meet with John Nagl and General Carter Ham following their keynote speeches on the advisor training mission ongoing at Fort Riley. Prior to this meeting Stone had worked for General Ham (then Chief of Staff, 1ID in Germany)as a young staff officer. During these meetings Stone managed to ensure an assignment to Fort Riley. Upon arrival, he was immediately assigned to lead the division's effort as the Training Team Chief for the Advisor Academy. Noting serious problems with the method that Afghanistan advisors were employed in combat, he set out on a six-month fact-finding mission to Afghanistan. Upon return from combat he detailed out an advisor plan for Afghanistan that was submitted and approved for future use by the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army. This plan has been included on the November 2009 strategy revealed by President Barack Obama.

In December 2009, he returned to Webster University to complete his Master's degree with a final research project titled "How best to provide US Advisor Support in Afghanistan in 2011 and beyond".

Authored the Short Range Training Ammunition Article

Army National Guard Units

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/218th_Maneuver_Enhancement_Brigade_(United_States)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/48th_Infantry_Brigade_Combat_Team_(United_States)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._28th_Infantry_Division

Published articles

Training Article on Short Range Training Ammunition https://www.benning.army.mil/magazine/2008/2008_2/13_tn.pdf

References

(1) Membership in Armor Association with Order of Saint George Medal - Bronze http://www.usarmor-assn.org/

(2) http://www.nps.gov/thst/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:United_States_Army_Command_and_General_Staff_College_alumni