Colonel Anthony Bell is a resident of Marion, AR. In June 1979, he commissioned as a Field Artillery 2nd Lieutenant in the Arkansas Army National Guard under the Early Commissioning Program. In December 1979, he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Arkansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting/Auditing and a Regular Army Commission in Field Artillery. He later attained master’s degrees in the fields of: Professional Management (Acquisition/Contracting), Florida Institute of Technology; General Studies (Force Development–Program Integration), U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; and Strategy Studies (Acquisition/Logistics), U.S. Army War College.
COL Bell began his career by graduating from Field Artillery Officer Basic Course (Ft. Sill, OK) with Honors and received similar distinction when he completed Armor Advance Course (Ft. Knox, KY).
His key responsibilities included Battery Cdr (Alpha Bty, 5/3 FA, Federal Republic of Germany), Production Officer (U.S. Army Armament Munitions and Chemical Cmd, Rock Island, IL; responsible for eight major ammunition programs), Chief, Position/Navigation Integration Office (including GPS), R&D Officer (Combined Army Cmd –Combat Development, Ft. Leavenworth, KS), Chief of Contracting (U.S. Army Contracting Cmd–Korea, Osan AB, Republic of Korea), de facto Contracting Squadron Cdr (51st Fighter Wing), Cdr (Defense Contract Management Cmd, Boeing, Philadelphia, PA), Team Cdr (DCMA–Kosovo, Balkans South, in support of K-FYROM), Chief, Contingency Operations (Army Contracting Cmd–Southern Region, Ft. McPherson, GA; responsible for contingency contracting operations for the Continental U.S.), Head of the Contracting Activity for Coalition Provisional Authority (Baghdad, Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom; responsible for contract support to rebuild Iraqi infrastructure), dual-hatted as Director and Principal Responsible for Contracting (PARC) (Army Contracting Agency–The Americas; responsible for contracting support to U.S. Southern Cmd) and Cdr, 410th Contracting Brigade and PARC (Ft. Sam Houston, TX; supported 5th/6th Armies’ contingency and operational missions).
COL Bell’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLC), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal (1 BSS), Kosovo Campaign Medal (1 BSS), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (“2”), NATO Medal, and Basic Parachutist Badge.
COL Bell’s post-service accomplishments include a great deal of charity work, with positions to include organization board member and Governor. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Eucharist Minister, Lector and former President and Secretary of Parish Council for St. Michael's Catholic Church in West Memphis, AR.
