Colonel Joseph D. Farias was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 1 June 1958. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, Company B, 185th Infantry Regiment, Merced, California. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Assistant Comm Officer, 637th FA Battalion, San Jose, CA; FAOBC, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Battalion Forward Observer, 737th FA Battalion, San Jose, California; Battery Assistant Executive Officer, 737th FA Battalion, San Jose, Callifornia; Battery Executive Officer, 5/143d FA Battalion, San Jose, California; Battery CO 2/143d FA Battalion, San Jose, California; Battalion Assistant S-3, 2/143d FA Battalion, San Jose, California; Battalion S-2, 3/143d FA Battalion, San Mateo, California; Brigade S-2, HHC, 49th Infantry Brigade, Alameda, California; Brigade S-1, HHC, 49th Infantry Brigade, Alameda, California; Division Artillery Int Officer, HHB, 40th Infantry Division (Mech), Los Angeles, California; Division Assistant Operations Officer, HHC, 40th Infantry Division, (Mech), Long Beach, California; Assistant Operations Officer, HHD, 79th Spt Ctr, RAOC, Stockton, California; Battalion Executive Officer, 49th Military Police Battalion, Alameda, California; Battalion CO, 49th Military Police Battalion, Alameda, California; Chief, HHD (-) CALARNG, Sacramento, California; Battalion CO, 185th Military Police Battalion, Pittsburg, California; Deputy Brigade CO, 49th Military Police Brigade, Alameda, California; Director, Det 4, STARC, Alameda, California; Commander, STARC, Alameda, California; IRR, St. Louis, Missouri, REMC, FEMA Region IX, Presidio of San Francisco, California. | His military education and training includes: Infantry School, Special OCS; Artillery School, BOAC; Artillery School, Advanced Course; Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College. Colonel Farias is a graduate of California State University with a B.A. in Social Science (1963), and a M.A. in Social Science (1970). | His awards and decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal w/ Oak Leaf Cluster, Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/2 Ten-Year Devices, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal w/4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Service Ribbon.