Background
Riper, Paul Kent Van was born on July 5, 1938 in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of James Frederic and Mary Katherine (Davis) Van Riper.
Riper, Paul Kent Van was born on July 5, 1938 in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of James Frederic and Mary Katherine (Davis) Van Riper.
Bachelor in Education, California (Pennsylvania) State College, 1963; student, Amphibious Warfare School, 1968.
Enlisted, United States Marine Corps Reserve, 1956; advanced through grades to lieut. general, United States Marine Corps, 1995; second in command Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps, 1963; instructor, The Basic School, 1966-1968; platoon commander, company Executive officer, assistant operations officer, 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Dominican Republic, 1965; Marine advisor, Vietnamese Marine Corps, 1965-1966; company commander, assistant operations officer 3d battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Vietnam, 1968-1969; instructor, staff officer, John F Kennedy Institute for Military Assistance, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 1969-1971; special projects officer, Office Chief of Staff, Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, 1971-1972; training specialist, Training Division, Washington, 1972-1974; operations officer 3d battalion, 8th Marines, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 1974-1975; regt ops officer, 8th Marines, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 1975-1976; Executive officer 1st battalion, 8th Marines, 1976-1977; student, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, 1977-1978; military observer, United States Military Observer Group, United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation, Palestine, 1978-1979; commanding officer, Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Cecil Field, Florida, 1979-1981; student, Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1981-1982; regimental Executive officer, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California, 1982-1983; commander 2d battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California, 1983-1984; exercise, readiness and training officer, I Marine Amphibious Force, Camp Pendleton, 1984-1985; regimental commander, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan, 1985-1986; assistant chief of staff, then chief of staff, 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, 1986-1988; director, Command and Staff College, Quantico, Virginia, 1988-1989; president, Marine Corps U., Quantico, 1989-1990; director, Marine Air-Ground Training and Education Center, Quantico, 1990-1991; commanding general, 2d Marine Division, Camp LeJeuene, North Carolina, 1991-1993; assistant chief of staff, director intelligence, command control, committee and computer HQMC, Washington, 1993-1995; commanding general, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, since 1995.
Teacher Sunday school Military Chapels.
Married Lillie Catherine Alford, January 27, 1968. Children: Stephen Kent, Cynthia Leigh.