Lt. Col. Joan D. Yarrell is the Commander of the
350th Recruiting Squadron,
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. In this capacity, she commands 12 flights and 100 personnel throughout 21 states in the Northeastern United States covering 588,000 square miles. She partners with federal agencies, civic, educational and community leaders to access high-quality recruits to meet the Air Force Reserve enlistment and line officer requirements for national security. Lt. Col. Yarrell manages a $675,000 annual budget, 68 vehicles, and 66 facilities in support of the accession of more than 2,000
Citizen Airmen each year. She assumed her current position in October 2023.
Lt. Col. Yarrell enlisted in the
South Carolina National Guard in 1991 attaining the rank of Technical Sergeant as an Information Manager. She was commissioned in 2002 through the
Air National Guard Academy of Military Science at
McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. Yarrell held positions both in force support and financial management in various operational and staff assignments at the unit, major command, and Air Staff levels. Prior to her current position, she was the Chief of Senior Leader Development and Training, Air Force Reserve Senior Leader Management Directorate, Headquarters Air Force - Reserve Element, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, University of South Carolina, Columbia
1996 Master’s degree, Public Administration, Troy University, Troy, Ala.
2002 Basic Personnel Officer Course, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
2004 Junior Officer Leadership Development Seminar I & II, Robins AFB, Ga.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Financial Management Basic Officer Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2009 Association for Financial Counseling and Planning - Accredited Financial Counselor
2010 Master’s degree, Business Administration - Human Resources Management, American Intercontinental University, Hoffman Estates, Ill.
2015 American Society of Military Comptrollers – Certified Defense Financial Manager
2016 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
- March 2002 – April 2002, Candidate, Academy of Military Science McGhee Tyson Air National Guard, Tenn.
- April 2002 – November 2002, Chief, Education and Training, Military Personnel Flight 120th Fighter Wing, Great Falls International Airport, Mont.
- December 2002 – July 2003, Assistant Chief, Military Personnel Flight 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
- August 2004 – December 2004, Commander, Mission Support Flight 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.
- January 2005 – January 2006, Chief, Military Personnel Flight 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.
- February 2006 – October 2012, Deputy Comptroller, 340th Flying Training Wing, Randolph AFB, Texas
- July 2008 – August 2008, Student, Financial Management Basic Officer Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
- January 2012 – April 2012, Chief, Basic Pay and Entitlements Policy Headquarters Air Force, Directorate of Personnel, Compensation Division, Joint Base Andrews NAF-Washington, Md.
- October 2012 – July 2016, Individual Mobility Augmentee, Chief, Force Development Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley AFB, Colo.
- November 2015 – July 2016, Chief, Manpower and Personnel (J1) and Chief, Resource Management (J8), STRATCOM - Standing Joint Force Headquarters-Elimination, Fort Belvoir, Va.
- August 2016 – September 2019, Program Manager, Detachment 7, Headquarters Readiness and Integration Organization, JB Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
- October 2019 – September 2023, Chief of Senior Leader Development and Training, Air Force Reserve Senior Leader Management Directorate, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
- October 2023 – present, Commander, 350th Recruiting Squadron, JB McGuire, Dix, Lakehurst, N.J.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award
Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award
Air Reserve Force Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with Service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Air and Space Longevity Service Award with three oak leaf clusters
Basic Military Training Honor Graduate Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2020 Air Force Reserve Element – Field Grade Officer of the Year
2019 Air Force District of Washington – Force Support Reserve Component Field Grade Officer of Year
2011 Air Force Reserve Command – Compliance Inspection Superior Team
2009 Air Force Reserve Command – FM and Comptroller Organization of the Year
2009 340th Flying Training Group – Support Officer of the Year
2009 Air Force Reserve Command – Financial Management Officer of the Year
2003 302nd Airlift Wing – Company Grade Officer of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant April 27, 2002
First Lieutenant April 27, 2004
Captain April 27, 2006
Major April 27, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel September 1, 2017
(CURRENT AS OF JANUARY 2024)