Colonel Thomas R. Finley was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 19-52, 18 July 1952. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, Company L, 504th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Platoon Leader, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 40th Division, Korea; Liaison Officer, Military Attaché, Chinese Burma Evacuation, Bangkok, Thailand; Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, 511th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Augsberg, Germany; Commander, 187th Airborne Battle Group, Germany, Lebanon, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Supply Officer, 187th Airborne Battle Group, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; “A” Team Leader, 1st Special Forces, Okinawa; Instructor, United States Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Operations Officer, Deputy Chief, JUSMAG, Thailand, G-4, 1st Infantry Division, Vietnam; Commander, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry, Vietnam; Staff Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, United States Army Staff, Pentagon, Military District of Washington, District of Columbia, Garrison Commander, The Army Support Command, Worms, Germany; Assistant Inspector General, 1st United States Army, Fort Meade, Maryland.