Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Perez serves as the Professor of Military Science for the Forged Gold Army ROTC Battalion, guiding the development of future Army officers at the University of California, Davis, and Sacramento State University. A Modesto, California native, LTC Perez brings over 19 years of U.S. Army experience, rooted in Air Defense Artillery and shaped by diverse joint and multinational assignments.

LTC Perez has held numerous leadership and staff roles, including two Pentagon assignments supporting the Joint Staff and Army Staff, and most recently, a position with the NATO International Military Staff in Brussels, Belgium, where he advanced integrated air and missile defense capabilities and multinational coordination. With over five years of overseas service, including two year-long deployments to the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility for Operation Enduring Freedom, he has consistently driven mission readiness, training development, and operational synchronization. His efforts in policy development, international collaboration, and crisis response have bolstered national and allied defense objectives.

A dedicated educator, LTC Perez holds a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Willamette University. He leverages this academic foundation to mentor cadets, fostering a balanced perspective on leadership, service, and professional growth.

LTC Perez is married to his wife, Michelle, and together they are honored to support the UC Davis and Sacramento State communities through their work with the Forged Gold ROTC Battalion.