Colonel David R. Presson was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 2 November 1943, class number 302. His first duty assignment was as Battalion Motor Officer, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 131st Infantry Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Platoon Leader, Company B, 105th IRTC, Camp Robinson, Arizona; Assistant Platoon Leader, Company B, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment; Platoon Leader, Company A, 1st Parachute Training Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia; Assistant Battalion S-3/Battalion S-3/ Regiment S-1, Headquarters Airborne Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia; Regiment Personnel Officer/Platoon Leader, XO, Headquarters 351st Infantry Regiment, Trieste, Italy; Assistant G-3, Headquarters TRUST, Trieste, Italy; Battalion S-3, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, Berlin, Germany; Assistant PMS&T, ROTC, Arkansas Polytechnic College, Russellville, Arkansas; Asst. G-1 and G-3, Headquarters I Corps, Korea; Asst. G-3, Headquarters, XVII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Action Officer, Infantry Branch, ODCSPER, Washington, D.C. Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 10th Infantry, 5th Mech Division, Fort Carson Colorado; Chief, Personnel Actions, J-1, Headquarters, US Military Assistance Command, Saigon, Vietnam; Chief, Combat Development Command, Support Warfare Branch, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Deputy Chief, Training Division, ODCSOPS, Headquarters Europe, 7th Army, Heidleberg, Germany; Brigade Commander, 7th Army, Baumholder, Germany; Director of Operations, Saigon Vietnam; Chief, Doctrine Division, Headquarters USA John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. | Colonel Presson's awards and decorations include: Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Gallantry Cross with silver Star, Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order 2d Class, Army Commendation Medal (2 Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Legion Of Merit (2), Combat Infantryman Badge.