Taunja Menke, a native of McMinnville, Oregon, graduated from Oregon State University and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in June 1999. She reported to The Basic School in July 1999. Upon completing The Basic School, Col Menke reported to 2d Supply Battalion and attended the Ground Supply Officers Course at Camp Johnson.
During her 2d Supply Battalion tour she served in Rations, Initial Issue Provisioning, Deployment Support Unit, and Customer Service/Procurement, deploying twice as an individual augment with the 22nd MEU and again with 2d Supply Battalion in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Upon her return from OIF in 2003, Col Menke transferred to Headquarters & Support Battalion, Camp Lejeune where she served a year each as the Battalion Supply Officer and the Alpha Company Commander.
From 2005 to 2008, Col Menke served as the Officer Selection Officer, Recruiting Station Portland, Oregon and from there she attended Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS) in Quantico, Virginia during academic year 2008-2009. After EWS, Col Menke reported to MACG-28 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point where she served from 2009-2012. During her tenure she deployed to Iraq in support of OIF as the MACG-28 (Forward) S-4. While in garrison she served as the Group Supply Officer and PSD Company Commander. In 2012, Col Menke attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virginia graduating with a Masters in Military Studies. Upon graduation, she served at the Pentagon for two years as a Project Officer in the Special Projects Directorate, Headquarters Marine Corps until July 2015.
After completing that assignment, Col Menke served as the Executive Officer at 2d Supply Battalion from July 2015 through July 2016. Having been selected for promotion, she was transferred to 2d MAW for service as the Deputy G-4. From June 2017 to June 2019, Col Menke served as the Commanding Officer for Ground Supply School, Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools, Camp Johnson. Following command, she attended The National War College from July 2019 to June 2020 and was awarded a Masters of Science Degree in National Security Strategy. From school, she went on to serve on the Joint Staff, the first year as an action officer in the J8. Her second year, as the Chief of Staff for the Director for Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment. She took command of 1st Supply Battalion in June 2022.