My Military Career

My Military Career
Unit Patch	Chronology of Events		Insignia
	Enlistment & Training: Enlisted US Army May 1976 as Private (PV1). Graduated US Army Basic Training, Ft. Jackson SC, July 1976. Graduated Infantry Advanced Individual Training (11C AIT), Ft. Benning GA, September 1976. Graduated Airborne Training, 44th Company Airborne, Ft. Benning GA, September 1976. Promoted to Private (PV2). Awarded Parachutist Badge.
	Unit Assignments: Assigned to Co. A, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment (Separate), Ft. Lewis WA, October 1976. Crewed M19 60mm Mortar. Served as Mortarman, Rifleman, Machine-gunner, and Parachutist. Tacoma WA
	Assigned to Co. B, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, Ft. Lewis WA, February 1977. Crewed M29A1 81mm Mortar. Served as Infantry Forward Observer, Mortar Fire Direction Computer, Mortar Squad Leader, Mortar Section Sergeant, and Mortar Platoon Sergeant. Served as Rifle Squad Leader and Rifle Platoon Sergeant. Promoted to Private First Class (PFC). Promoted to Specialist Fourth Class (SP4). Promoted to Corporal (CPL). Promoted to Sergeant (SGT). Completed Jungle Operations Training Course (JOTC), Ft. Sherman, Panama Canal Zone. Graduated Primary Noncommissioned Officer Course (11C PNCOC), Ft. Lewis WA. Graduated Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Defense School, Ft. Lewis WA. Graduated Chemical Operations Specialist Course II (54E BNCOC), Aberdeen Proving Grounds MD. Awarded Good Conduct Medal (GCM-1). Tacoma WA
	Assigned to Co. C, 1st Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division (Mech), Baumholder, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), January 1980. Crewed M29A1 81mm Mortar mounted in an M125 Carrier. Served as Mortar Squad Leader, Mortar Fire Direction Computer, Mortar Section Sergeant, Mortar Platoon Sergeant, and Mortar Platoon Leader. Served as Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Defense NCO. Completed Platoon Confidence Course (Special Forces Small Unit Training), Bad Tolz, FRG. Graduated Basic Infantry Noncommissioned Officer Course (11C BNCOC), Vilsec, FRG. Awarded Army Service Ribbon (ASR), Noncommissioned Officer Development Ribbon (NCOR-2), Overseas Service Ribbon (OSR-1), Army Achievement Medal (AAM-1), Good Conduct Medal (GCM-2), and Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM-1). Baumholder, FRG
	Assigned to Philadelphia Recruiting Battalion, US Army Recruiting Command, Philadelphia PA, March 1983. Served as US Army Recruiter, New Castle DE. Served as Recruiting Station Commander, Newark DE. Promoted to Staff Sergeant (SSG). Graduated Basic Recruiter Course and Recruiting Station Commander's Course, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis IN. Awarded Recruiting Badge with 2 Gold Stars, Driver's Badge with "W" Device, and Army Safety Award. New Castle DE
	Assigned to HHC, US Army Garrison, Ft. Indiantown Gap PA, April 1985. Served as Plans and Training (DPTSM) Assistant Operations NCO. Annville PA
	Assigned to Co. A, 3rd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Ft. Benning GA, November 1985. Crewed M224 60mm Mortar. Served as Mortar Section Leader. Completed Arctic Light Infantry Course, Ft. Greely AK. Awarded Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM-2), Army Achievement Medal (AAM-2), Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM-3), and Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM-4). Columbus GA
	Assigned to United States Army Infantry Board, Test and Experimentation Command, Ft. Benning GA, January 1988. Served as Training and Reenlistment NCO, Senior Test NCO (M121 120mm Mortar Acceptance Test), and Parachutist. Promoted to Sergeant First Class (SFC). Graduated Infantry Mortar Platoon Leader's Course (IMPLC). Awarded Good Conduct Medal (GCM-3), Army Achievement Medal (AAM-3), Good Conduct Medal (GCM-4), and Meritorious Service Medal (MSM-1). Columbus GA
	Assigned to HHC, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 6th Infantry Division (Light), Ft. Richardson AK, February 1990. Served as Assistant Operations NCO and parachutist. Anchorage AK
	Assigned to HHC, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division (Light), Ft. Richardson AK, May 1990. Crewed M252 81mm Mortar. Served as Mortar Platoon Sergeant. Completed Arctic Light Fighter Course (ALIT). Graduated Advanced Infantry Noncommissioned Officer Course (11C ANCOC), Ft. Benning, GA. Awarded Army Service Ribbon (OSR-2), Noncommissioned Officer Development Ribbon (NCOR-3), Army Achievement Medal (AAM-4), and Good Conduct Medal (GCM-5). Anchorage AK
	Assigned to B Troop, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Ft. Hood TX, June 1993. Crewed M30 4.2" Mortar mounted in an M106A2 Carrier. Served as Mortar Section Leader and Cavalry Troop First Sergeant (1SG). Awarded National Defense Service Medal (NDSM), Army Achievement Medal (AAM-5), and Good Conduct Medal (GCM-6). Killeen TX
	Assigned to C Troop, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Ft. Hood TX, June 1994. Crewed M30 4.2" Mortar mounted in an M106A2 Carrier. Served as Mortar Section Leader and Headquarters Platoon Sergeant. Awarded Calvary Spurs, Driver's Badge with "T" Device, and Meritorious Service Medal (MSM-2). Last certified weapons qualification as Expert Marksman with rifle and pistol. Killeen TX
	Retirement Jun 1996: Just prior to retirement, my wife was invited by Gen Hickey's wife to a conference. The fete was held at the 4th Infantry Division's Assistant Division Commander's home on Ft. Hood, and I went as Rosie's escort. While there, I was asked by a retired Lieutenant Colonel if I would miss the Army. My response was, "I will miss the Army everyday for the rest of my life." And ever since retirement, this has been true. My Home Town
Fiddler's Green	Lewis-Genealogy.Org		Military Home Page
God bless the United States; and God bless the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who serve in her armed forces.
Where was I during the war?		My Military Decorations, Awards, & Schools