Colonel George E. Bland was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School on 25 August 1943.  His first duty assignment was as Mortar Platoon Leader, 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, Germany. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Executive Officer, Motor Transportation Officer, and  Company Commander, 26th Infantry Division, 1st Infantry Division, Germany; Company Commander and Adjutant Eval, Officer Candidate Regiment, The Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; Assistant PMST/ Commandant of Cdt Detroit Michigan, ROTC, University of Detroit; Military Intelligent O (Det M), ACSI, DA w/sta, Korea; Military Intelligent O (Det M), ACSI, DA w/sta Okinawa; Battalion Advisor, Royal Gd, USA Elm, USMTMSA, Saudi, Arabia; G2, Staff, 82d Airborne Infantry Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Executive Officer, 503 ABG, 82d Airborne Infantry Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Br Chief, Intelligent Pol Division, ODCSOPS, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., Deputy Division Chief, Pol-Mil Division, ODCSOPS, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.; Battalion Commander, 3/47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, MobRiverForce, Vietnam; J5 Division Chief and Brigade Commander, MACV, 2d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, Vietnam; and Assistant Director, IA Directorate , ODCSOPS, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. | His awards and decorations include: CIB, PUC (Republic of VietnamferCA), PUC (Republic of Vietnam), PUC, CofG w/3 Palms, NOofVN, PH, ACM, AM w/20 Oak Leaf Cluster, AM (V), BS (V), SM, DFC w/Oak Leaf Cluster, LM w/2 Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star w/Oak Leaf Cluster.