Who he is — in addition to his primary titles of husband, father, son, and brother — is Colonel Travis Elms. Elms was formally promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to the rank of Colonel, effective September 30, 2023. He is currently assigned as the Staff Judge Advocate, Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson (a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, La).

“I am a Partner in a Global Law Firm and Legal Advisor for leaders of a community of approximately 9,000 service members and their family members,” Elms explained. “We provide legal services to the community, advise the leaders who run Fort Johnson on ethics compliance, environmental law, labor law, criminal matters, and procurement law. My office prosecutes all crimes committed by service members and civilians, similar to a District Attorney’s office. This effort is critical for the safety of Fort Johnson and maintaining good order and discipline within our Army units. In addition to being a legal advisor, I am personally responsible for the training, education, and well-being of our law firm members here at Fort Johnson, and I take that responsibility very seriously.”

One part of him remains a constant.

“I would not be who I am or be where I am without the community in Sheffield,” said Elms. “The community of Sheffield, and Warren County, has a list of people who, for whatever reason, believed in me and gave me a chance. Without them each seeing something in me, and providing me a window of opportunity and simply a chance to succeed or fail, I would not be a Colonel in the United States Army.

Photos submitted to Times Observer U.S. Army Col. Travis Elms from Bagram, Afghanistan in 2020.

“As for where I come from, my family is a representation of a classic Western Pennsylvania family,” said Elms. “Hard work, discipline, integrity, and simply doing the right thing was what mattered most. Accountability was another principle instilled in me at a young age. It’s been over 25 years since I left Sheffield for college. Along the way, I’ve had to rely on these bedrock principles to guide me. These principles, even when not popular, have allowed me to sleep peacefully at night, knowing I did the right moral and ethical thing. We were also proof that annual salary and zip code do not define you as a person, and if you take advantage of every opportunity, participate in extracurricular activities, and actually go to school and participate, there are options to chase your dreams.

“Having siblings also helped with humility,” added Elms. “I learned many years ago that I might have been the captain of my college wrestling team, but my brother was still willing to keep me in check when we were home for spring break.

“The community of Sheffield and Warren County taught me you don’t need money, the internet, or fancy things to learn right from wrong, learn how to work hard, to be honest, have integrity, and get a solid education,” he said. “My grandparents taught me what right looks like and how to budget and save. The Warren Times Observer dumped 56 newspapers on my door every morning from age 11 until I left for college. The money was crap, but folding papers — and reading them, then being accountable to 56 families, taught me some valuable lessons. The local bank let me run a mile there and a mile back every morning after my paper route to shovel their parking lot and sidewalks. Those $5 mornings bought me a car, turned me into a runner, and changed my life. The bearded men at the old Regal Lumber made me earn my keep as ‘the college kid’ while working summers in their lumber yard. They kept me humble and made me earn my $5.25 an hour and their respect. A Sheffield legend, the late Tom McNeal, gave me a pickaxe and eight hours to prove myself. It turned into a decade of hard work, life coaching, and a lifelong friend and mentor who guided me through many of life’s challenges as a young man. Men like Andy Moore and Tom Anundson handed me a chainsaw, shovel, paintbrush, splitting maul, and more work than a young boy could ever finish. I didn’t grow up to be a logger or painter, but I learned how to work. Men like Denny Johnson, Tom Holden and Steve Siliano introduced me to wrestling, a sport and mental toughness that only wrestlers understand. The hours on the mat and training provided me with a mental toughness that has never let me down. The late Tom Dunn was a man of few, but well-chosen words. He taught me that you can build a track team with over 100 people in a school with 60 kids in a class by being inclusive. He won championships, produced state records, but most importantly, opened-up a team to people who had never been a part of a team. While most never won a championship throwing a shotput or leaping hurdles, they found a team — and life is about teams. And finally, I credit some ruthless, old-school teachers who showed me the importance of taking school seriously and mastering academic fundamentals.”

Yeah, I’d say Sheffield is a part of Travis Elms, Colonel, the most senior field-grade military officer rank… Anything higher is a General. A Colonel has surpassed all reasonable expectations of a successful Army career and very few make it to that rank. A Colonel is a technical expert who is an organizational and strategic leader. They are proven leaders with maturity, judgment, and the ability to transform organizations at any level.

For promotion to Colonel, the Army selects the best-qualified officers based on competency and the ability to lead at the next rank. The Army’s “whole person concept” considers several attributes, including criteria like performance; professional attributes and ethics; integrity and character; military bearing and physical fitness; attitude, dedication, and service; and concern for soldiers and families.

Travis Elms and his wife Elizabeth and their three children, Isabella (13), Aiden (11), and Julianna (6), at Elms’ promotion to Colonel.

Criteria that Travis Elms was able to “grow into” from a young age, he said.

“For me, I was able to rely on a lifetime of positive and negative experiences as an athlete,” said Elms. “From tee-ball at age five to collegiate wrestling as a young adult, I was exposed to plenty of leaders. I learned how to take care of a team while getting the most out of each individual. Those leaders shaped who I am and eventually I grew into a leader who was able to motivate men and women to push themselves professionally and physically to meet the needs of our clients, worldwide, and often without much assistance.

Elms grew into “an honor of a lifetime,” he proudly admits.

“The journey began as a way to serve my country after 9/11 while still using my law degree,” said Elms. “I signed up for a three-year commitment and left the law firm I was working at. When the three years was up, I was serving in Iraq on a 15-month combat deployment. Although dangerous and a significant detachment from my family and freedom, I was doing exactly what I dreamed of doing — serving as an embedded legal advisor in combat. It was the honor of a lifetime to contribute to the mission.

“Since then, I’ve held a myriad of positions,” he added. “I prosecuted felony crimes for over four years and then transitioned to a senior litigator supervising felony prosecutions. I have advised commanders at all levels, including a four-star commander, in combat on multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. I was fortunate to be in Iraq during “The Surge” and Afghanistan as we executed the terms of the agreement with the Taliban. National Security Law is an area in which I’ve spent a ton of time operating. From rules of engagement at the tactical level to theater-wide application of kinetic, cyber, information, and psychological warfare, I’ve been blessed to be a part of real-world applications of military power. One of the most fun and intellectually challenging jobs was serving as the initial legal advisor to the first US military battle group in Poland, tasked with combating Russian incursion into Eastern Europe. This was years before the invasion of Ukraine and was not well publicized. It was fascinating being a part of the team that crafted international agreements, developed rules of engagement, and worked alongside commanders and lawyers from numerous Eastern European and NATO nations. Every day was a complex adventure with the potential for a global impact.

Travis Elms with daughter, Julianna.

“Along the way, I was a law school professor, worked in the Pentagon, and have trained and led legal teams in and out of combat operations,” said Elms. “Currently, I am the senior Army lawyer in Louisiana and supervise a 53-person law firm. Our firm advises commanders of warfighting units and one of the premier Combat Training Centers in the world.

Many of these jobs over the last 19-1/2 years have been physically demanding, requiring participation in training and operations that our clients — commanders — participate in. As an example, I was a paratrooper for five years while stationed at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty). I jumped out of airplanes and helicopters, in both day and night operations. Training with the combat leaders simulates jumping into combat and being available to provide legal advice, in-person, during combat operations. In my opinion, it is what makes our profession special; we go where our clients go, and train to be effective as not only legal advisors, but as soldiers. My value is rooted in my mental acuity and ability to help solve complex problems on and off the battlefield. In order to do that, and be there at the right time and in the right place to deliver legal advice and help solve the problem, I and my team have to maintain an exceptional level of physical fitness and be competent as soldiers.

“The United States Army is a system designed around one’s ability to excel at a current rank and exhibit the ability to lead and perform at a higher rank,” he said. “To make the rank of Colonel, it took several things. First, I had to be a lawyer to get in the door, pass physical exams, and then endure several months of academic training. Once I was certified and assigned to a combat unit, I had to learn how to be an Army officer and soldier, then learn to lead others. Some succeed at lawyering and leading, but some do not. That is the first transition; can you be a great lawyer and legal advisor, but also lead a team of lawyers and paralegals? Can you advise commanders in times of conflict and uncertainty? If you can’t, your ability to continue to get promoted and take on more responsibility diminishes considerably — or disappears. With the influence of amazing leaders, opportunities to grow as a leader, and the tremendous support of my teams over the years, I’ve been able to live out a dream and contribute in many capacities.”

For background, this is what the Army says is a Judge Advocate’s role: “No matter the level of command to which assigned, judge advocates have several roles. They are counselors, advocates, and trusted advisors to commanders and Soldiers. They are Soldiers, leaders, and subject matter experts in all of the core legal disciplines. In every aspect of their professional lives, judge advocates serve the Army and the Nation with their expertise, dedication, and selflessness.”

Another role remains a constant. Elms is married to Elizabeth. Together, “Elizabeth mostly,” he jokes, they are raising three children, Isabella (13), Aiden (11), and Julianna (6).

“We move every two years at the needs of the Army and JAG Corps,” Elms added. “The sacrifices of military families are tremendous. The time away from loved ones, weddings and birthdays missed, and settling into new schools and communities all present unique challenges. They also present the most amazing experiences and opportunities. We’ve learned to boil crawfish, skied in the Alps, swam off the coast of Croatia, and spent many nights looking at the star-filled skies over the Adirondacks. We’ve eaten schnitzel, enjoyed the finest beer in Bavaria, hunted wild game across America, and take our fair share of catfish and wild hogs. We are truly blessed to have been afforded these opportunities and certainly do not take them for granted.”

According to his Promotion Ceremony biography, Elms “attended college at Waynesburg University, earning a B.A. in Criminal Justice in 2001 and attended Ohio Northern University College of Law, earning a J.D. in 2004. He was a US Army summer intern at Aberdeen Proving Ground and an Associate at King and Bailey prior to entering active duty via direct commission in the US Army JAG Corps in January of 2005. He is a graduate of the 166th Officer Basic Course (2005), the 61st Graduate Course (2013) where he earned a LLM in Military Law, and the Command and General Staff College (2019). He is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and before the Supreme Court of the United States.

“… Elms’ previous assignments include Legal Assistance Attorney, Administrative Law Attorney, and Trial Counsel, XVIIIth Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg; Brigade Judge Advocate, 20th Engineer Brigade (Combat)(Airborne), Balad, Iraq; Trial Counsel, 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg; Chief, Military Justice, US Army Cadet Command & Fort Knox, KY; Professor, The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center & School, Charlottesville, VA; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, US Forces Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan; Regiment Judge Advocate, 2d Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY and Bagram, Afghanistan; and Career Manager; Personnel, Plans, and Training Office, Pentagon.

“His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Army Commendation Medal (‘C’ Device), Army Commendation Medal (two awards), Army Achievement Medal (two awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Superior Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal (two Combat Service Stars), Iraq Campaign Medal (one Combat Service Star), Global War on Terror Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (two awards), NATO Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge.”