Colonel Patrick Joe McWherter was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 10-65 on 3 December 1965. His first duty assignment was as Assistant S3, 1st Bn, 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Custer, Korea. | His subsequent duty assignments include:  Company Commander, Company A, 1/9 Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Custer, Korea;  Instructor, U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Bennning, ga;  Student, U.S. Army Signal School,  Fort Monmouth, New Jersey;  Company Commander, Company C, 52d Sig Bn, 1st Signal Brigade, Vinh Long, Vietnam;  Assistant Professor, Military Science, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio;  Student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas;  Executive Officer, 24th Sig Bn, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, ga;  Assignment Officer, CSAD, U.S. Army Military Personnel Center, Alexandria, Virginia;  S3, 7th Signal Brigade, Mannheim, FR Germany;  Battalion Commander, 1st Sig Bn, 7th Signal Brigade, Kaiserlautern, FR Germany;  Deputy Commander, 35th Sig Bde (Airborne), XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Commander, 1106th U.S. Army Signal Brigade, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. | Colonel McWherter is a graduate of Infantry Officer Candidate School, Airborne School,  Signal Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff  and U.S. Naval War College. | His military awards include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (2 awards), Army Commendation Medal (2 awards), Army Good Conduct Medal, and Parachutist.