Robert W. RisCassi

Robert W. RisCassi
Robert W. RisCassi as General
Born (1936-01-18) 18 January 1936
AllegianceUnited States
Branch
United States Army
Service years
1958–1993
Rank
General
CommandsVice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
United States Forces Korea
Eighth Army
9th Infantry Division
Conflicts
Vietnam War
AwardsArmy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star (3)
EducationUniversity of Connecticut (BA)
Auburn University (MA)

Robert William RisCassi (born 18 January 1936) is an American retired general who served as the 21st vice chief of staff of the United States Army from 1989 to 1990. His last assignment was commander of United Nations Command, ROK/US Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea from 1990 to 1993. He was also the commanding general of the US Eighth Army from 1990 to 1992.

Early life and education

RisCassi was born on January 18, 1936, in Hartford, Connecticut, and is a 1958 graduate of the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and holds a Master of Arts degree from Auburn University in Political Science.[1] His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.[2][3]

Military career

He received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army in 1958 from the University of Connecticut Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. He served in the Vietnam War as chief of plans for the 1st Field Force (G3) before commanding the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. After returning to the United States, he served as an Infantry Branch Personnel Management Officer, and then as Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management). RisCassi was then sent to Europe, where he commanded the 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division; and served as assistant commander of the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized).[3]

His other assignments include Director of the Joint Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, all in Washington, D.C.; Deputy Commanding General of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and Commanding General of the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Commander of the 9th Infantry Division (Motorized), Fort Lewis, Washington; Assistant Division Commander of the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Germany; and Assistant Commandant of the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.[4] He was awarded the University of Connecticut Distinguished Alumni Award in 1989.[5]

Awards and decorations

Combat Infantryman Badge
Senior Parachutist Badge
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit
V
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star with "V" Device and two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with V device and numeral 20
Army Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 3
Officer of the Ordre national du Mérite (France)
Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) with bronze star
Vietnam Campaign Medal

Post military

RisCassi is Vice-President of L-3 Communications Corporation. He served on the Commission on Roles and Missions in 1995, and has been employed as an executive with Loral Corporation and Lockheed Martin. He sits on the boards of Alliant Techsystems, Korea Society, National Intelligence Council, is a member of the SPECTRUM Group's Senior Advisory Group and was a member of the Department of Defense 2001 investigation into the No Gun Ri allegations, and sat on the National Defense Panel in 1997.[2]

Personal life

He is married and has five children.[3]

References

  1. ↑ National Defense Panel members biographies
  2. 1 2 Spectrum Group bio
  3. 1 2 3 Army Executive Biographies. Washington, D.C.: Headquarters, Department of the Army. 1985. p. 381.
  4. ↑ The Korean Theater - One-of-a-Kind
  5. ↑ UCAA Distinguished Alumni Award Past Recipients Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine