Colonel Paul Joseph Wenzel was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School on 17 June 1960, class number 3-60. His first duty assignment was as Battalion Adjutant, 2d Student Battalion, TSB, Fort Benning, Georgia. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Section Commander, 73d Aviation Company (Airplane Surveillance Light),RVN; G3 Operations Officer, U.S. Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, AL; Armed Platoon Leader, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion, RVN; G1, 1st Infantry Division (Forward) Augsburg, Germany; Executive Officer, 1st Battalion 26th Infantry, Goeppingen, Germany; Company Commander, 173d Assault Helicopter Company, Hanau, Germany; Personnel Management Officer, Infantry Branch, OPMD, MILPERCEN, Alexandria, VA; Battalion Commander, 145th Combat Aviation Battalion, Hunter AAF, Savannah, GA; Defense and Army Attache, Defense Attache Office, American Embassy, Zaire (Africa); Chief, Aviation Branch, Combat Arms Division, OPMD, MILPERCEN, Alexandria, VA; Chief, Assignments, Combat Arms Division, OPMD, MILPERCEN, Alexandria, VA. | His awards and decorations include: Defense Superior Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal w/V Device and w/2 Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal w/V Device and w/41 Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal w/3 Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart. | Military schools attended include: Airborne School, Jumpmaster School, 7th Army Noncommissioned Officers Academy, Infantry Officer Candidate, Army Flight Training, Infantry Officer Advanced, Command and General Staff College, United Kingdom Helicopter Warfare School, Defense Attache School, Army War College Corresponding Studies.