Lieutenant Colonel Croot was born and raised in New Jersey and was commissioned as an Infantry Second Lieutenant into the United States Army on 2 August, 1995. After completing the Basic Infantry Officer Course, Airborne School, Ranger School, and Pathfinder Course at Fort Benning, GA from 1995-1997, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany. As a Rifle Platoon Leader, Scout Platoon Leader, and Brigade Assistant Operations Officer he deployed for operations in Bosnia, Macedonia, and Kosovo.

Upon promotion to Captain in 1999, he attended the Special Forces Qualification Course from 2000-2001 and was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) Fort Bragg, North Carolina. From 2002-2006 he served as a Detachment Commander, Battalion Assistant S3, Battalion S4, and a Headquarters Support Company Commander during the Invasion of Iraq and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, two combat tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, an operational tour in the US Embassy Sanaa, Yemen, and a Joint Combined Exercise for Training in Lusaka, Zambia.

Upon promotion to Major, Lieutenant Colonel Croot attended the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) and School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas from 2006-2008.

After graduation from SAMS, he was again assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) from 2009-2011 where he served as a Company Commander, Battalion S3, and Group S3 for two combat tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and support to operations in Pakistan.

Lieutenant Colonel Croot was most recently assigned to Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC), Camp Smith, Hawaii. From 2012-2013 he served as the Pacific Command’s Counter-Terrorism Advisor to the Ambassador in the US Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh. From 2013 until the present, he served as the SOCPAC SOJ35 Future Operations Director, the SOCPAC Commander’s Action Group Director, and the SOCPAC Commander’s Executive Officer.

His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (with “V” Device for Valor and 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, and Special Forces Tab.

Lieutenant Colonel Croot holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business from the University of Pittsburgh, a Masters of Science in Education from Kansas State University, and a Masters of Military Art and Science in Theater Operations from the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

Command Sergeant Major Richard M. Henson II assumed responsibility as the command sergeant major of the Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Battalion on May 6, 2016. As the senior enlisted advisor, he advises the commander and supports Soldiers and Civilians in New Jersey and the greater Philadelphia area.

He graduated from North Adams High School, Seaman, Ohio, in 1990 and enlisted into the Army on Nov. 1, 1990, as a unit supply specialist.

CSM Henson completed basic training and advanced individual training in Fort Jackson, S.C. in March 1991. He served as the supply clerk, armorer and supply sergeant for the 501st Finance Battalion, W.O. Darby Kaserne, Fuerth, Germany.

CSM Henson volunteered for recruiting duty in 1994 and was assigned to the Columbus Recruiting Battalion where he served as a recruiter, center leader, and battalion trainer from 1994-2004. After promotion to master sergeant in June 2004, he served as the first sergeant of the North Bay Recruiting Company, Sacramento Recruiting Battalion; senior operations NCO for the Columbus Recruiting Battalion; and first sergeant of the Kings Mills Recruiting Company, Columbus Recruiting Battalion.  Before assignment to the Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Battalion, CSM Henson served as the command sergeant major for the Denver Recruiting Battalion from April 2014 to March 2016 and as the G7/9 Sergeant Major for HQ, USAREC from August 2013 to March 2014.  

CSM Henson graduated from all levels of NCOES to include the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Course, class 63. His other military schools include the Army Recruiter, Center Leader, Master Trainer, DA and USAREC First Sergeant, and the Guidance Counselor Operations courses. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Management Communications from Amridge University in 2011.

His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.  CSM Henson is a recipient of the Gold Recruiter Ring and the Glen E. Morrell Order of Recruiting Excellence Medallion.