James Palsha

Colonel James Palsha was commissioned as an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 1-81, 20 March, 1981. His first duty assignment was as a Rifle Company Platoon Leader, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. | His subsequent duty assignments include: 81mm Mortar Platoon Leader, later Company Executive Officer and Company Commander, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Company Commander, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Brigade Assistant S-3, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Battalion Operations Officer, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Battalion Assistant S-3, later Company Commander, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Savannah, Georgia; Current Operations Officer, Joint Special Forces Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Brigade Operations Officer, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Plans Officer, 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, Fort Richardson, Alaska; Brigade Commander, 172nd Infantry Brigade (Stryker), Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Deputy Chief, later Chief, Joint Operations Division, The Joint Staff, Washington D.C.; Director, Army Quadrennial Defense Review Office, The Army Staff, Washington D.C. | Colonel Palsha's military education and training includes: Infantry Officer Basic Course, Airborne School, Ranger School, Infantry Mortar Platoon Leader Course, Jump master School, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Combined Armed Services Staff School, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Joint and Combined Staff Officer School, and the United States Army War College. | His awards and decoations include: the Distinguish Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (4 Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge (Combat Star), Expert Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Air Assault Badge, and Joint Staff and Army Staff Identification Badges. | Following retirement he served as a Principal Analyst for CALIBER Inc., Alexandria, on contract to assist the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve in strategic processes.