COL Matthew N. Porter took command of Camp Edwards training site on 1 August 2019. Prior to command he served as the training site Deputy Commander and Base Operations Officer. COL Porter resides with his wife of 19 years, Jennifer, along with their two children Harrison, and Lillian.
COL Porter, a Distinguished Military Graduate, commissioned through Providence College ROTC in 1997 as a Second Lieutenant Infantry Officer. Upon the completion of his basic course and follow on schools, he was assigned to the 2 Battalion, 27 Infantry Regiment, 25ID, Schofield Barracks, HI. He served in a variety of assignments within the Battalion, initially assigned to Charlie Company as a Rifle Platoon Leader. He later served as a Mortar Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Assistant S3. He went on to serve in the Division HQ as the Assistant Division Planner before leaving active duty in May 2001.
In 2004, COL Porter joined the Massachusetts Army National Guard and was assigned to the Officer Candidate Company, 101st Regiment, Regional Training Institute, where he served as a TAC Officer and Commander. In 2007, he was transferred to the 26th Brigade Combat Team and deployed to Afghanistan as part of the 26th IBCT's Embedded Training Team. In Afghanistan, he served as the S2 of the Regional Police Mentor Team in ARSIC West and later as the S3 of the Farah Police Mentor Team, Farah Province.
Upon his return from Afghanistan in 2008, He served in several assignments including Chief, Small Arms Training Team, Chief, Sustainment Training, and the S2/S3 of the 79th Troop Command. Concurrently, he served as the Operations Officer of the Pre Deployment Assistance Element (PTAE).
In 2010 he was transferred to the 1-182 Infantry Battalion and served as the Unit's Operations Officer. In 2011, he deployed with the 1-182 Infantry Battalion to Afghanistan where he directed base defense operations at Camp Phoenix, Kabul. In 2012 he and his family moved to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where he completed his Intermediate Level Education at the Army Command and General Staff College. After returning in 2013, he served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, JFHQ-MA.
In 2014 COL Porter took Command of the 1-181 Infantry Battalion. He led the BN through a brigade warfighter, conducted the first EIB training in the state in 20 years and prepared the battalion for their deployment to Egypt.
In 2016 COL Porter attended Senior Service College as a Military Fellow in the International Security Studies Program at the Fletcher School for Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Following the Completion of SSC, COL Porter was assigned as the Deputy G3.
COL Porter is a graduate of the US Army Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Captain's Career Course, Combined Arms Staff Service School, Command and General Staff College, Senior Service College, Army Airborne School, and Army Ranger School. His awards include the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal 2OLC, Army Commendation Medal 2OLC, Army Achievement Medal, Ranger Tab, and Parachutist badge
COL Porter’s civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Bryant University and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Providence College.