Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Malave was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and joined the active Army in 2002. In 2007, he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) from the ROTC Green to Gold Program at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez. He was commissioned as a Chemical officer, branch detailed from the Air Defense Artillery. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a minor in Computer Programming, and a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources from the University of Puerto Rico. His military education includes the Chemical Officer Basic Course, the ADA PATRIOT Advanced Course, the ADA Captain Career Course, the Company Commanders Recruiting Course, the Command and General Staff College, and the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA). LTC Malave also holds the Strategist Additional Skill Identifier (ASI) 6Z.

LTC Malave’s previous assignment include Battalion Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high yield Explosives (CBRNE) Officer, 1st Battalion, 72nd Armor Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT), 2nd Infantry Division (ID), in the Republic of Korea (ROK); Mechanized Smoke Platoon Leader, Heavy Decontamination Platoon Leader, and Executive Officer, 4th Chemical Company, 1st HBCT, 2ID, ROK; Delta Battery Commander, 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Missile Defense, Fort Bliss, TX, including the battery’s deployment to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF); Commander of Alpha Battery 3rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment (ADAR), Join Land Attack Elevated Netted Sensors Systems (JLENS), in support of the defense of the National Capital Region (NCR); Commander of the Aguadilla Recruiting Company, overseeing the western part of Puerto Rico (PR) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI); Operations Officer S3, Combined Task Force Defender (THAAD), Daegu, ROK; Executive Officer (XO), 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery, 35th ADA BDE, Suwon AB, ROK; Brigade Operations Officer (S3), 35th ADA BDE, Osan AB, ROK; Chief of Air and Missile Defense (AMD), U.S. Army North (ARNORTH), Joint Base San Antonio – Fort Sam Houston, TX.

LTC Malave’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (four oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal (one silver oak leaf cluster), Army Achievement Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal (one bronze service star), Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (numeral six), Army Superior Unit Award (two oak leaf cluster), Meritorious Unit Commendation (one oak leaf), the U.S. Army Recruiting Badge and the German Proficiency Badge (Silver).