Education
Auburn University; United States Army Command and General Staff College. United States Military Academy.
Auburn University; United States Army Command and General Staff College. United States Military Academy.
During his tenure, in 1987, the title was changed to Commander in Chief, Forces Command (CINCFOR). He was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame, class of 2010. A native of New Hampshire, he began his career as a second lieutenant after graduating in 1954 from the United States Military Academy.
Palastra also holds a master of business administration degree from Auburn University.
His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the Air War College. Prior to commanding FORSCOM, Palastra commanded I Corps and Fort Lewis, Washington.
In 1968 and 1969 Palastra served in Vietnam as Commander, B Company, 4th Aviation Battalion, and as Commander, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, in Vietnam"s highlands. Palastra has also commanded the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served as Deputy Director for Estimates in the Defense Intelligence Agency.
His other key assignments include Commanding General, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and Fort Polk, Louisiana. Chief of Staff, Eighth United States Army/United States Forces of Korea. And Deputy Commander in Chief/Chief of Staff, United States Pacific Command, Camp Her Majesty Smith, Hawaii. Palastra was a war-plans staff officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations, Washington, District of Columbia, and, after attending the Air War College, returned to Washington to serve as a force structure analyst in the Office of the Chief of Staff. His personal decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with "V" Device (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), and eight Air Medals.
