Colonel Richard Joseph Hoerner was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 02-92 on 17 April, 1992. His first duty assignment was as a Rifle Platoon Leader, Company B, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

His notable duty assignments were: Company Executive Officer and Scout Platoon Leader, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Rifle Company Commander and Headquarters Company Commander, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Iraq Budget Officer, Army Central Command, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; Director of Resource Management, Area Support Group-Qatar; Branch Chief, Afghanistan Budget, Army Central Command, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; Assistant Chief of Staff, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Professor of Military Science, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama; Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon; Director of Resource Management, United States Forces Afghanistan , Bagram, Afghanistan; Assistant Chief of Staff , XVII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. He currently serves as the Commandant of the United States Army Finance and Comptroller School and Chief of the Finance Corps at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

His military education consists of: Ranger School; Airborne School; United States Jumpmaster School; Pathfinder School; United States Army Command and General Staff College; and the Combined Arms Service Staff School.

His highest military awards and decorations include: Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (5th Award), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Ranger Tab, and Combat Infantryman Badge.