Colonel Paul Richard Kempainen was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 26-70, 19 November 1970. His first duty assignment was as a Tactical Officer, Officer Candidate School, The School Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Commander, A Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, South Korea; Battalion Adjutant, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, South Korea; Executive Officer, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Infantry, Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Battalion S-2, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Infantry, Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Battalion Adjutant, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Infantry, Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Battalion Adjutant, 205th Infantry Brigade (Light), Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Brigade S-2, 205th Infantry Brigade (Light), Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Deputy Inspector General, 88th Regional support Command, Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Group S-3, 8802nd Headquarters Brigade, Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Director, Operations and Training, 644th Area Support Group, Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Executive Officer, 644th Area Support Group, Fort Snelling, Minnesota; Commander, 1st Battalion, 340th Regiment (Training Support), Arden Hills, Minnesota; Director, Judicial Reform Team, Office of Military Cooperation, Kabul, Afghanistan; Chief, 16th Contingency Planning Augmentation Team, Fort Snelling, Minnesota. | His military awards and badges include: Legion of Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal w/ Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation Medal w/ 4 Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Achievement Medal; Army Reserves Components Achievement Medal w/ 5 Oak Leaf Clusters; National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea); Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ Oak Leaf Cluster. | At the time of his induction, Colonel Kempainen was retired from the United States Army and employed in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office as Assistant Attorney General.