Colonel Dean D. Bekken was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 22 August 1944, class number 343. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, 343d Regiment, Europe. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Platoon Leader, Company L, 343d Regiment, Philippines; Instructor, Officer Candidate School, Fort Riley, Kansas; Commander, Company M, 196th Regiment Combat Team, Fort Richardson, Alaska; G-3 Training Officer, 8th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado; G-3 Plans, Eighth Army, Korea; Assistant PMS, ROTC, South Dakota State University, Brookings South Dakota; Battalion Commander, 24th Infantry Division, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry, Munich, Germany; G-4 Plans and Operations, Headquarters, Seventh U.S. Army, Stuttgart, Germany; Assistant PMS, ROTC, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas; ROTC Division, Headquarters, Fourth U.S. Army, Chief, Motivation Branch, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; G-4 Plans, Headquarters Korean Military Advisory Group, Seoul, Korea; Chief, Support Activity and Equipment Maintenance Division, Headquarters Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. | Colonel Bekken's awards and decorations include: Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Purple Heart, Silver Star, Legion of Merit.