Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius “Tad” Granai was born in Burlington, VT, but hails from East Greenwich, Rhode Island. LTC Granai joined the Army in February 2001. He was branched Infantry after completing basic training and Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA. Since his first assignment as a Rifle Platoon Leader and a BN Staff Officer in 2-5 IN at Schofield Barracks, HI and a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, LTC Granai has served in a variety of infantry and leadership assignments. Of note, he was a Basic Training Company Commander in 2-19IN at Fort Benning in 2006 and 2007, and a Rifle and HHC Company Commander in 2-14IN at both Fort Drum, NY and in Baghdad, Iraq in 2008-2010. Following Command, LTC Granai was assigned as the Stryker Doctrine Branch Chief at Fort Benning, GA from 2011-2013. Upon completion of Field Grade Officer schooling in 2015, LTC Granai was assigned as the CENTCOM Forward-Jordan Deputy J5 in Amman, Jordan for six months and to the First Armored Division G5 at Fort Bliss, TX. As part of the First Armored Divi-sion, LTC Granai also served as the Battalion S3 and BN Executive Officer for 4-17 Infantry at Fort Bliss and in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Next, in early 2018, LTC Granai was assigned as the 199th IN BDE S3 and Deputy Commander at Fort Benning. In July 2019, LTC Granai began his current assign-ment as a US Army Interagency Fellow at the US Marshals National Sex Offender Targeting Center in Crystal City, VA.

LTC Granai received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rhode Island in 2000, along with Masters Degrees from the Marine Corps University in Military Science in 2014 and the US Army Command and General Staff College in Operational Arts and Science in 2015. His military schooling includes basic training, Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC), Airborne School, Maneuver Captains Career Course, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the School of Advance Military Studies (SAMS).

LTC Granai’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal (1OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Med-al, Meritorious Service Medal (2OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Parachutists Badge, Expert Infantrymen Badge, and the Combat Infantrymen Badge.
LTC Granai and his wife Lindsey have two daughters, Hannah (13) and Lilah (10).