Colonel (P) Scott L. Thoele was commissioned as an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class BIOCC 5-80, 5 December 1980. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Executive Officer, A Company, 1-508th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Executive Officer, Operational Detachment Alpha 113, A Company 1-12th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Arlington Heights, Illinois. Commander, Operational Detachment Alpha 113, A Company 1-12th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Arlington Heights, Illinois. Commander, Operational Detachment Alpha 1215, A Company 1-12th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Arlington Heights, Illinois. Commander, A Company, 2-20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Chicago, Illinois. Chief, Training Division, Plans, Operations and Training Officer, State Area Command, Springfield, Illinois. Commander, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry, 66th Brigade, Chicago, Illinois. Deputy Operations Officer, Current Operations, Joint Forces Headquarters, Multinational Division Center South, Camp Echo, Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq. Deputy Commander, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Urbana, Illinois. Commander, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Urbana, Illinois. Deputy Commander, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, Commander 33rd IBCT, Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan. Deputy Commanding General, Combined Arms Center, Army National Guard, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. | Colonel Thoele's military awards and decorations include: the Bronze Star Medal ( 1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (4 Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), National Defense Medal ( with 1 Star), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal (1 Bronze Service Star), Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, NATO Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with M Device, Numeral 4 and Silver Hour Glass), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 3), Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 3), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award, Polish Bronze Medal, Ranger Tab, Special Forces Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge (with star), Expert Infantry Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Venezuelan Parachutist Badge, Jordanian Parachutist Badge, Polish Air Assault Badge.