Lieutenant Colonel James P. Wheeler was commissioned as a Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 13-66, 22 September 1966. His first duty assignment was as Training Officer, Company D, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, Training Center, Fort Bliss, Texas. | His subsequent assignments include: Rifle Platoon Leader, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 8th IN, 4th IN Division, Vietnam. Scout Platoon Leader, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th IN, 4th IN Division, Vietnam. Assistant S3 Air, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th IN, 4th IN Division, Vietnam. Commander, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 46th IN, 1st Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Battalion S3, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 46th IN, 1st Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Brigade Assistant S3 Air, Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Fort Hood Texas. Brigade Assistant S3, Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Vietnam. Commander, Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, Vietnam. Class Company Commander, 44th Company, 4th Student Battalion (Airborne) TSB, Fort Benning, Georgia. Student, Class 2-71, Infantry Officers Advance Course, Fort Benning, Georgia. Training Officer (DPT), Headquarters, Army Air Defense Center, Fort Bliss, Texas. Operations Officer, Headquarters Company, Southwest Regional Recruiting Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Battalion S3, 1st Battalion, 60th IN, 172nd IN Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Training Management Officer, Headquarters Company, 172nd IN Brigade, Fort Richardson, Arkansas. Battalion Executive Officer, 70th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Bliss, Texas. Chief, Human Resource Officer, (DPCA), Headquarters Command, Fort Bliss, Texas. | His military awards and decorations include: the Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal (3 Oak Leaf Cluster) with “V” Device, Purple Heart (3 Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Air Medal with numeral 3, Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 2 bronze service stars and 1 silver service star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 4, Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon W/Device (1960), Expert Badge with rifle bar, Aircraft Crewman Badge, Parachutist Badge and German Badge for Military Achievement. | Following retirement Lieutenant Colonel Wheeler served as Vice President, Veteran Outreach Valor Healthcare, Incorporated, Washington, D.C.