COL Julia M. Donley assumed duties as the U.S. Army Signal School Commandant and the 43rd Chief of Signal at Fort Eisenhower, GA on 21 June 2024. As the Commandant, COL Donley oversees more than 550 educators training approximately 11,000 students annually and represents the Signal Regiment in all matters for active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard components worldwide serving as the Personnel and Branch Proponent for more than 55,000 Soldiers. 

COL Donley commissioned as a 2ndLieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Georgetown University in 2000. COL Donley earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs: Russia and Eastern Europe, her Master of Arts in Security Studies from Kansas State University, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.  

COL Donley has since held a variety of command and staff positions to include her most recent assignment as the 21st Signal Brigade Commander, Fort Detrick, MD; DSCMO-A-J6, Pentagon, VA; Network Analysist for HQDA G8, Pentagon, VA; 302d Signal Battalion Commander; Fort Detrick, MD; Executive Officer to the HQDA G6 AONS Director, the Legislative Liaison, and the Army Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States, Pentagon, VA.  She was assigned to 1st Infantry Division in Germany, where she served as Battalion S6 of 1-1 Aviation (Attack) Battalion, and Platoon Leader and Assistant S3 of 121 Signal Battalion, deploying to OIF I (Oguzeli, Turkey) and OIF II (Tikrit, Iraq).  

From 2006 to 2011, COL Donley was stationed at Fort Eisenhower (known as Fort Gordon), where she served with 67th Signal Battalion as Assistant S3 and Company Commander (deployed to OIF 06-08: Victory Base, International Zone and Taji), 35th TTSB as Assistant Brigade S3, and 63d Signal Battalion as Battalion S3 and Executive Officer.