A Member of Our Board of Directors: Christopher Croft

This week’s Monday Spotlight is on Christopher Croft, Colonel U.S. Army.

Christopher Croft is a member of the board of directors for the Army Week Association.

 

           Croft always dreamed of going to college, but being raised by a single, working mother, he knew he could never afford it.   Based on his academic and leadership potential, the Army awarded him a three year scholarship that allowed him to attend college. Croft joined the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Florida in 1983. At graduation, he had no intention of staying in the Army for more than four years. He says, “The reason I stayed was the sense of purpose I gained from the Soldiers and leaders I served alongside.  I saw in them a camaraderie and selflessness that I wanted to be around.”  

 

In the span of 25 years, he has served in 12 different locations around the world and moved a total of 14 times. With the support of his wife, Connie, daughter (28), and son (23), the moves were made more bearable. His wife, Connie, gave up her professional career to take care of the children and keep their home while always helping him in every way she could.

 

Croft has served in Iraq twice, once with the 4^th Infantry Division (Mechanized) 2003-2004 and once with the 106^th Transportation Battalion, 101^st Airborne Division in 2007-2008. Being a husband and a father made deployments especially difficult. He missed both of his children’s senior year of high school. While on one deployment, his daughter moved away to college. On another, his son quarterbacked his team to a state football championship. While home, Croft tried to make the most of his time.  He says, “As I got older, I realized that balance in life is so important. I became more adept at determining what was critical to solve immediately versus what could wait until tomorrow.” When asked about the best part of a deployment, Croft said, “the opportunity to see the incredible professionalism and resiliency of Soldiers in the most difficult of situations”.

Croft participates in numerous organizations promoting veterans’ causes, including the National Defense Transportation Association, the Association of the United States Army, Military Association of America, Veteran of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. 

In 2013, Croft was assigned to Columbia University as an Army War College Fellow. During his time at Columbia, Croft attended classes while being a voice for the Army in New York City. In New York, Croft started working with the Army Public Affairs team in Manhattan. Through them, Croft met Christopher Page, the founder and CEO of Army Week, and Jen Wilson, the COO of Army Week. Between the three of them, the concept of Army Week Association arose. Both Col Croft and his wife Connie are integral players and Board Members of Army Week Association.  Croft’s duties include helping develop the vision for AWA and guiding the organization to meet its goals.

Christopher Croft is currently serving at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas as the Director of the Center for Army Leadership. The Center for Army Leadership is the Army’s lead for leadership and leader development research, studies, analysis, assessment and evaluation; provides the Army leadership and leader development doctrine, products and services; develops and maintains the Army Leader Development Strategy and annexes; and manages the Army Leader Development Program.

 

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