Colonel Gilbert T. Gembacz
Description
Colonel Gilbert T. Gembacz enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 1969 and after Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Ord, California, went to Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant in July 1970. Following his commissioning, he attended Airborne School and then went to the US Army Special Forces Officer Course.
His active duty career included assignments with the 2d Battalion 68th Armor and the 1st Battalion 13th Infantry in the Federal Republic of Germany, adjutant of the 1st Battalion The School Brigade and Protocol Officer with the U.S. Army Infantry School, both at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Upon his release from active duty, he held several primary staff positions with Company C, 3d Battalion 12th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He then transferred to the 63rd Army Reserve Command (ARCOM) where he held similar positions and then transferred to the 311th Corps Support Command (COSCOM) where he eventually became the Psychological Operations Officer. Subsequent to these assignments, he was assigned to I Corps G-5 section as the Psychological Operations Officer.
After this assignment, he was selected as the Battalion Commander of the 6218 U.S. Army Reception Battalion which was involved in several joint service operations at McChord Air Force Base/ Fort Lewis, Washington. From this assignment, COL Gembacz was selected as the Deputy Chief of Operations, Operations at the 63d ARCOM where he was involved in the reorganization of this Major General command into a Reserve Support Command with subordinate units in several states. He retired from the Army Reserve with a total of 30 years of active duty and reserve service. Colonel Gembacz’s military education includes the Infantry Officer Candidate School, Airborne School, Special Forces Operations Course, Command and General Staff College (Commandant’s List) as well as an Adjunct Faculty member, and the National Security Course.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal w/ 2 OLC, Army Commendation Medal w/ 3 OLC, Expert Infantryman Badge, Special Forces Tab, and the Parachutist Badge.
In his civilian career, Colonel Gembacz has over 30 years of experience as an attorney. Following his graduation from law school in 1979 he initially was in private practice but was later employed by the California State Board of Equalization in the Property Tax Division and the Internal Revenue Service Office of Chief Counsel, Los Angeles, California, in both the civil and criminal tax divisions. He was a Certified Specialist in Taxation Law with the California State Bar.
Following these assignments, he transferred to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and after six years as a prosecutor, was selected by the United States Attorney General to serve as an Immigration Judge. He spent over 10 years on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Immigration Judges, served as adjunct faculty for the National Judicial College and Southwestern University Law School and has been extensively quoted in newspapers and legal publications.
He has been involved with the California Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) as the Central Region Vice Chairman, and as the Chairman of the California State ESGR Chairman Search Committee in 2015.
