Colonel Richard R. McTaggart was commissioned an Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School, 29 April 1949. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, Company C, 54th Engineer Combat Battalion, Beoblingen, Germany. | His subsequent duties include: S-2, Headquarters, 54th Engineer Battalion, Boeblingen and Leipheim, Germany; Staff Officer, Army Map Service, Washington, D.C.; Action Officer, OACSI, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.; Action Officer, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.; Assistant G-2, Operations, Headquarters, I Corps Group, UijoNew Jerseybu, Korea; Commander, 11th Engineer Battalion (Combat), Huksong-Ni, Korea; Special Assistance Staff Officer, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.; Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan; Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy, Guatemala City, Guatemala; Chief, China Branch Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C. | Colonel McTaggart was a rancher in Menard County, Texas, following his retirement.