COL Reginald "JYD" Bostick

Colonel Reginald "JYD" Bostick joined the Institute of World Politics as a Senior military fellow in August 2010. Colonel Bostick has spent over 22 years in a variety of command and staff assignments with both conventional and special operations forces. He participated in numerous deployment operations, including OPERATION JUST CAUSE in Panama, OPERATION WILLING SPIRIT in Colombia, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan, and supported various worldwide joint contingency operations throughout South America, Africa and South-West Asia.

Colonel Bostick holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from Wofford College and a Master of Science Degree in International Relations from Troy State University. Colonel Bostick's military education includes the Infantry Officer's Basic and Advance Courses, the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, the Bradley Commanders Course, the Anti-Armor Course, the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School's Psychological Operations Course, Regional Studies Course, the Survival, Evasion, Reconnaissance & Escape Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the Joint Forces Staff College (JPME II).

Early in his career, Colonel Bostick was a Rifle Platoon Leader with 5/87th Infantry in Fort Clayton, Panama. He was then assigned as the Executive Officer with the 2/54th Infantry and Platoon Leader with the 24th Infantry Division at Fort Benning, GA. He then served as a Commander for a Rifle Company and Commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company with 2/502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Finally, he arrived at Fort Bragg, NC where he served as the Operations Officer of the Airborne Special Operations Test Directorate. His next Fort Bragg assignment was in the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) where he served as an Operational Detachment Commander and S-3 with the 1st Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne), and as the S-3 of the 9th Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne). Following his assignment in the 4th POG he served with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he was the Group Psychological Operations Officer. His next assignment was as the Chief of PSYOP Doctrine and Training at the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. Colonel Bostick then commanded the 1st Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne) and served as the Deputy Commander of the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne). Colonel Bostick's last assignment was as a Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Army.

Colonel Bostick's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Army Staff Identification Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Superior Unit Award, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge and Ranger Tab. His foreign awards include the German, Thailand and Irish Parachutist Badges.