Colonel Craig M. Childress was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School on 9 May 1967.  His first duty assignment was as Executive Officer, Headquarters Company, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Okinawa. | His subsequent duty assignments include:  Commander, 2nd Exploitation Company, Command and Control-South, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Vietnam; Commander, Company B, 1st Battalion, 58th Infantry (Mechanized), 197th Infantry Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia; Chief, Imagery Intelligence Branch, Collection Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence, HQ U.S. Army Europe; Chief, Small Arms Test Division, USAIB, Fort Benning, Georgia;Deputy President, U.S. Army Infantry Board, Fort Benning, Georgia;HQDA Systems Coordinator, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Research, Development and Acquisition; Executive to the Deputy for Systems Management (OASA (RDA) ); Executive Secretary, Army Systems Acquisition Review Council; and Director, Plans and Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Research, Development and Acquisition), HQ DA. | Colonel Childress is a graduate of Auburn University, B.A.; University of Southern California, M.S. His military schools attended include: Infantry Officer Candidate School and Officer Advanced Course, Special Forces Course, Tactical/Strategic Intelligence Officers Course, Program Managers Course, Command and General Staff College, and Army War College. | His military awards include: Bronze Star (2), Meritorious Service Medal (2), Army Commendation Medal (2), Air Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Basic Airborne Wings, Army Staff Identification Badge.