John joins GSOF after more than twenty years of active-duty military service. John has led paratroopers in combat in Iraq, commanded teams of Special Operations Forces across Eastern Europe, and orchestrated Civil Affairs operations globally, before retiring as the Professor of Military Science at the University of Portland. John has a BA in History from the University of Nevada, Reno. He is a graduate of the École de Guerre in
Paris, and holds an MA in National Security Studies.
John commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 2005 and served as a Platoon Leader with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. Upon completion of the Infantry Captains’ Career Course, he volunteered for the first Civil Affairs Assessment and Selection course. After selection and a year of language and cultural training, he was assigned to the Europe-aligned 92nd Civil Affairs Battalion (plank holder), part of the United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
He later led two Special Operations Assessment and Selection Programs at Camp Mackall,
North Carolina. After graduating from the French War College, John commanded a unit
regionally aligned to the Middle East conducting maritime security operations, and
subsequently a Civil Affairs company ready to deploy globally within 48 hours as part of
Joint Chief of Staff’s Immediate Response Force. He supervised counter-trafficking,
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counter elephant- and rhino-poaching
missions as an operations officer with a global portfolio. Prior to his final assignment
with the United States Army Cadet Command, LTC Toll served on the USASOC
Commanding General’s Action Group. Legend has it he still holds the records for bench
press, best speech, and was recognized as the 4 th best pilot on the team, despite having
no formal flight training.