Associate Administrator for Administration

Colonel (Retired) Reginald E. Allen joined FTA in April 2019 as the Associate Administrator for Administration. In that role, he serves as the principal advisor to the Administrator on administrative and management matters and oversees support services to FTA Headquarters and Regional Offices. He fully participates in agency policy and program formulation and provides advice and assistance in directing, coordinating, controlling, and ensuring the adequacy of FTA plans and programs.

Prior to joining FTA, Col. Allen served in several positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including Acting Deputy Chief of Staff. Prior to his SES selection in 2015, he served 30 years in the U.S. Department of Defense as an active duty combat arms officer in the U.S. Army. During his military service, he held numerous senior command, staff and leadership positions.

His military career highlights include command of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment and deploying that organization in 2010 to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn in Iraq. His 8,000-person Regimental Combat Team conducted a year of combat and training operations helping to establish the conditions for an honorable U.S. forces exit from Iraq at the end of 2011.

His other major command was during the beginning of Operation Iraq Freedom. In June 2003, he assumed command of the 1st Squadron, 10th United States Cavalry -- “The famous Buffalo Soldiers” on the Iran-Iraq Border.  Col. Allen led the armor combat force in the operation that captured Saddam Hussein, secured the Iran-Iraq border, eastern Tikrit, and later Balad Joint Air Base then the largest concentration of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. 

In 2012, Col. Allen became the Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of the United States Army in the Pentagon. In that role, he served as a principal advisor providing advice and recommendations on all matters spanning the depth and breadth of Department of Army/Department of Defense activities.

Col. Allen holds an MS in National Security Strategy from National Defense University; a MA in Education from the University of Louisville and a BS in Business from North Carolina A&T State University Col. Allen is a graduate of the United Kingdom Higher Command Course.

Col. Allen’s awards include: The Legion of Merit, four times; the Bronze Star, three times; the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, twice; and the Army Meritorious Service Medal, seven times.