Colonel from Fremont takes command in Georgia

Colonel Lee K. Durham, a 1979 graduate of Fremont High School and son of Charles and Dorothy Durham of Fremont, accepted the reins of responsibility of Georgia’s 4,500-mem-ber 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at a military change of command ceremony held in Macon.

Durham replaced Brigadier General Lawrence E. Dudney Jr., who commanded the brigade for the past 12 months. The 48th Brigade is made up of two infantry battalions, one cavalry battalion, an artillery battalion, a special troops battalion and a support battalion with subordinate units located in more than 30 communities throughout Georgia. Soldiers of Georgia’s 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were deployed for a year to Iraq in May 2005 in the largest deployment of Georgia National Guard Soldiers since World War II.

Col. Durham’s military career began in Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery, 45th Infantry Brigade, Oklahoma Army National Guard. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Field Artillery on Dec. 22, 1981.

His first assignment was as Forward Observer and Special Weapons Officer in the 1st Bn, 158th FA until being assessed as a Regular Army Officer upon graduation from Cameron University in June 1984.

His active duty assignments include as a Platoon Leader, Assistant S-3, and Headquarters Detachment Commander in the 1st Infantry Division; Operations Officer in the 2nd Infantry Division; 3rd Special Forces Group. Col. Durham transitioned to the Kansas National Guard in 1993 to attend law school. He served as Plans Officer in POTO-KS, Deputy Provost Marshal, G-3 Plans Officer, XO of the 1996 Atlanta Georgia NGB-Olympic Task Force, and Headquarters Commandment for the 35th Infantry Division (Mech). He transitioned to Title 10 on Oct. 1, 2000 and served the Operations Officer, Leader Development Center before assuming command of the Battle Command Training Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas under the Battle Command Training Program. He gave up command to attend Senior Service College in July 2003.

Col. Durham’s most recent assignments include as a staff officer at Special Operations Command, Northern Command, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and the past two years as the Special Assistant to the Commanding General at Fort Benning Georgia.

Col. Durham is a graduate of the National War College; Army Command and General Staff College School of the Americas; Special Forces Qualification Course; Ranger Course; Jump Master Course; SERE course; Master Fitness Course; and Combined Arms Service Staff School. He has a Bachelors Degree from Cameron University; a Masters Degree in International Relations from Troy State University, a Masters Degree in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University, and a Jurist Doctor from Washburn University School of Law.

Col. Durham’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachute Badge, Australian Parachute Badge, German Parachute Badge, and Antigua Barbuda Commando Tab.

He is married to the former Daina Moore of Manhattan, Kansas. They have two children, Carson and Alexis.