Illinois Promotes Two Full Bird Colonels in Same Ceremony

Springfield, Ill. — Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams, Assistant Adjutant General, Commander, Illinois Army National Guard, performed a rare ceremony promoting both Col. Matthew D. Brady, the Construction and Facilities Management Officer (CFMO) for the Illinois Army National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, and Col. Jesse N. Wright, the Director of Operations (J3) for the Illinois Army National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, at the same time at the Illinois Military Academy (IMA) in Springfield, Ill. on July 11, 2026.

"There's 10,000 soldiers in this organization, spread across the state, currently spread across this world," Williams said. "There's 19 of the rank that they're about to make."

He went on to state that being a colonel is special because while enlisted soldiers, especially the NCOs, are the ones who make the Army go, even lieutenant colonels, unless in command, are still doers of things.

"When you become colonel, you're not necessarily a doer of things anymore," said Williams. "If you want to earn the respect and trust of those you lead, you should be able to do the things you ask of them. And these two gentleman, I've watched them do that their entire career. They've lived that."

Brady enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in 2003 with the 135th Engineer Company in Lawrenceville, IL. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in 2005, after completing Officer Candidate School with the Alabama Military Academy at Fort McClellan, AL. Brady completed Engineer branch qualification and returned to Lawrenceville, where he served as platoon leader and executive officer before deploying to Afghanistan in 2008 with the 766th Explosive Hazards Coordination Cell, 766th Engineer Battalion, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), Illinois Army National Guard.

After the deployment, he returned to Lawrenceville to take command of the 631st Engineer Support Company, 123rd Engineer Battalion, 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB), Illinois Army National Guard, from 2009 to 2011. Post command, Brady moved to the 404th MEB, Illinois Army National Guard, where he completed his Chemical branch qualification and served as both the Engineer and Chemical branch officer in alternating years. In 2016, Col. Brady was assigned to the 44th Chemical Battalion, 404th MEB, Illinois Army National Guard, where he was the S3 and executive officer, before serving as Battalion Commander from 2019 to 2022.

Post battalion command, he deployed with the 404th MEB to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. After the deployment, he served as the Facilities/Contract Construction Management Engineer for the 1886th Engineer Facility Detachment. He returned to 404th MEB to serve as the brigade S3 from 2023-2025. Brady was then assigned to Joint Forces Headquarters and served as the J1 in 2025. His current assignment, as the Construction and Facilities Management Officer (CFMO) Illinois Army National Guard, began in May 2026.

"This assignment, the Chief Facilities Management Officer, is the job I always wanted," said Brady. "When I enlisted, it was with this job in mind; it just took me 20 years to get here. I look forward to the challenges ahead and working with the great professionals across the state in the days, months, and years to come."

Wright enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in 1994. He subsequently entered regular Army in 1996, serving as a Field Artilleryman with the 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment. After completing his active-duty service, he transitioned to the Illinois Army National Guard, where he served with the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment and reclassified as an Infantryman. In 2003, he was commissioned through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) as an ordnance officer.

His previous assignments include Plans and Policy Officer (J35) Joint Force Headquarters, Deputy Commander, 404th MEB; Operations Officer (S3), 404th MEB; Battalion Commander 33rd Military Police Battalion, Antiterrorism/Force Protection Officer 404th MEB, S1 129th RTI (Regional Training Institute), Technical Operations Branch Chief, Joint Force Headquarters; Operations Officer for Bilateral Embedded Staff Team (BEST) A11; Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 33rd IBCT; Assistant Operations Officer (S3), 33rd IBCT; Commander, Forward Support Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division; Battalion Logistics Officer (S4), 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division; and Battalion Maintenance Officer, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

Wright deployed twice to Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005 to 2006 and 2007 to 2008. In 2013, he deployed to Afghanistan with the Illinois Army National Guard as a member of Bilateral Embedded Staff Team (BEST) A11 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"The eagle on my chest isn't a measure of where I've been," said Wright. "It's a reminder of what is expected of me going forward. Promotion to colonel isn't the end of a journey. It's the beginning of an even bigger responsibility. I look forward to continuing to serve, developing future leaders, and earning that trust every day."

Brady was pinned by his daughters Eileen Brady and Katherine Brady. Wright was pinned by his wife, Julie.