Heath Abraham
Volunteer Military
Biography
Lt. Col. Heath A. Abraham was born in Madison, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, June 30, 1980. He is the son of Roger and BeBe Abraham of rural Ramona. He attended school in Ramona and graduated from Oldham-Ramona High School in 1999. He attended South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã State University and graduated as a distinguished military graduate in May 2003.
Abraham has attended the Engineer Officer Basic Course, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã Law Enforcement Academy, Captain’s Career Course, Command General Staff College Intermediate Level Education and the Advanced Operations Course, graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas with a master’s in business administration, and graduated with a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in July 2025.
Abraham enlisted in Bravo Company of the 153rd Engineer Battalion, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã Air National Guard, Dec. 22, 1997. He attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, between his junior and senior years of high school. He returned to Fort Leonard Wood in summer 1999 to complete his Advanced Individual Training as a combat engineer. Upon graduation from SDSU in May 2003, he was commissioned through the SDSU ROTC program as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Lt. Abraham was first assigned to the headquarters company of the 153rd Engineer Battalion as a distro platoon leader. He attended the Engineer Officer Basic Course in spring 2004, graduated July 21, 2004, and mobilized to join the 153rd Engineer Battalion deployed to Iraq on July 31, 2004, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Abraham was assigned to Alpha Company of the 153rd Engineer Battalion as an assault and obstacle platoon leader providing horizontal engineer support to the province operating between Karbala and Najaf, Iraq.
In the summer 2008 Capt. Abraham was chosen to take command of the 211th Engineer Company Sapper, formerly Company B of the 153rd Engineer Battalion. Abraham commanded the 211th Engineer Company Sapper for 28 months. During this time, the 211th deployed to Afghanistan, where they conducted route clearance operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom throughout Paktika Province, Afghanistan.
In July 2013, Capt. Abraham was promoted to the rank of major and assumed the duties of the S-3/Operations Officer for the 153rd Engineer Battalion in Huron, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã. After two years as the S-3, Maj. Abraham was reassigned to the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Sioux Falls, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã. While at the Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Abraham has held the positions of executive officer, protection cell chief, and the current operations chief for the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.
Maj. Abraham was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in Oct. 2019. He served as the S-3/operations officer for the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade when they were mobilized and deployed to the Horn of Africa. During this deployment, Lt. Col. Abraham served as the deputy J-3 of operations for the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. Abraham returned from the deployment and was selected to command the 153rd Engineer Battalion in Huron, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã. Following command, Abraham continues his service with the Joint Forces Headquarters in Rapid City, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã.
Lt. Col. Abraham has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, six Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, NATO Medal, numerous other federal and state awards as well as the Combat Action Badge.
Abraham is married. His wife, Katie, teaches first grade at Madison Elementary, and the couple has two children, Braelyn and Briggs.
Abraham has attended the Engineer Officer Basic Course, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã Law Enforcement Academy, Captain’s Career Course, Command General Staff College Intermediate Level Education and the Advanced Operations Course, graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas with a master’s in business administration, and graduated with a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in July 2025.
Abraham enlisted in Bravo Company of the 153rd Engineer Battalion, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã Air National Guard, Dec. 22, 1997. He attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, between his junior and senior years of high school. He returned to Fort Leonard Wood in summer 1999 to complete his Advanced Individual Training as a combat engineer. Upon graduation from SDSU in May 2003, he was commissioned through the SDSU ROTC program as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Lt. Abraham was first assigned to the headquarters company of the 153rd Engineer Battalion as a distro platoon leader. He attended the Engineer Officer Basic Course in spring 2004, graduated July 21, 2004, and mobilized to join the 153rd Engineer Battalion deployed to Iraq on July 31, 2004, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Abraham was assigned to Alpha Company of the 153rd Engineer Battalion as an assault and obstacle platoon leader providing horizontal engineer support to the province operating between Karbala and Najaf, Iraq.
In the summer 2008 Capt. Abraham was chosen to take command of the 211th Engineer Company Sapper, formerly Company B of the 153rd Engineer Battalion. Abraham commanded the 211th Engineer Company Sapper for 28 months. During this time, the 211th deployed to Afghanistan, where they conducted route clearance operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom throughout Paktika Province, Afghanistan.
In July 2013, Capt. Abraham was promoted to the rank of major and assumed the duties of the S-3/Operations Officer for the 153rd Engineer Battalion in Huron, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã. After two years as the S-3, Maj. Abraham was reassigned to the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Sioux Falls, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã. While at the Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Abraham has held the positions of executive officer, protection cell chief, and the current operations chief for the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.
Maj. Abraham was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in Oct. 2019. He served as the S-3/operations officer for the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade when they were mobilized and deployed to the Horn of Africa. During this deployment, Lt. Col. Abraham served as the deputy J-3 of operations for the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. Abraham returned from the deployment and was selected to command the 153rd Engineer Battalion in Huron, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã. Following command, Abraham continues his service with the Joint Forces Headquarters in Rapid City, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã.
Lt. Col. Abraham has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, six Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, NATO Medal, numerous other federal and state awards as well as the Combat Action Badge.
Abraham is married. His wife, Katie, teaches first grade at Madison Elementary, and the couple has two children, Braelyn and Briggs.
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