Lieutenant Colonel Edmund A. Torraca grew up on Long Island, NY and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps upon graduation from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His first assignment after the Signal Officer Basic Course was in Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division, where he served as Executive Officer, B Co, 122nd Signal Battalion. He next served with the 1st Armored Division as the Battalion Signal Officer, 1-94th Field Artillery (MLRS/TA), Idar-Oberstein, Germany and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I. While deployed, Lt.. Col. Torraca transitioned to serve as the Division Artillery (DIVARTY) Signal Officer, Baghdad, Iraq.
Upon redeployment, he was assigned as Logistics Officer, 141st Signal Battalion, Wiesbaden, Germany, and executed a branch transfer to the Transportation Corps. After graduating from the Combined Logistics Captains Career Course (CLC3), he deployed in support of the Iraq Assistance Group serving as Brigade Logistics Advisor, 2-1 National Police Transition Team (NPTT). Lt.. Col. Torraca served next at Fort Eustis, Virginia as Commander, 169th Seaport Operations Company, 24th Transportation Battalion, 7th Sustainment Brigade conducting terminal service operations in fixed ports and logistics-over-the-shore sites.
After transitioning to the Reserves, Lt.. Col. Torraca returned to Wiesbaden as a Civil Affairs Officer and served as a Team Chief, C Co, 457th Civil Affairs Battalion. His next assignment was Civil Military Operations Center (CMOC) Chief, 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (A), Riverdale Park, MD, before deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a Government and Development Advisor, Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) - Paktika, Afghanistan.
After redeploying, Lt.. Col. Torraca returned home to New York and served as a Public Administration Officer in the 353rd Civil Affairs Command (CACOM) before deploying in support of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) as Operations Officer, US Military Coordination Cell, Mogadishu, Somalia. His next assignment with the 353rd CACOM was Civil Affairs Plans Team (CAPT) Chief before mobilizing to serve as the Civil Affairs Plans Officer, Arabian Peninsula, US Central Command, MacDill AFB. He returned to Wiesbaden to serve as the Operations Chief, United States Army Europe, G37 - Training and Exercises Division.
Lieutenant Colonel Torraca's military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2), Army Commendation Medal (4), Joint Service Achievement Medal (2), Army Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, State Department Meritorious Honor Award, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.
Lt. Col. Torraca is married and has two children.