I served almost six years on active duty as a Field Artillery officer from 1971-1976 with the 56th Field Artillery Brigade (Pershing Missile) in Germany. The remaining 33 years of my service were in The Army National Guard and Army Reserve. 32 of my 39 years of military service were with the US Army, Europe. I served for one year in 1977 with the 42nd Infantry Division Artillery, New York Army National Guard.
From 1978 until 2002, I served in the Army Reserve with the 7th Army Reserve Command in Germany, a major subordinate of command of US Army, Europe. I then served seven years as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee on the Joint Staff (J5) in the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and on the staff of Headquarters, US Army Europe for my last assignment before retirement from the Army Reserve as a Major General in 2010.
While serving in the Reserve Component of the Army from 1978-2010, I worked in leadership positions of increasing responsibility in my civilian career in advertising, marketing and general management for the European subsidiaries of major US and Japanese consumer goods manufacturers, primarily in Germany, but also in Kiev, Ukraine; Moscow, Russia; Geneva, Switzerland and Belgrade, Serbia. I retired from my civilian career in 2010.
I then returned the United States in 2010 to serve in the Pentagon in Washington as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reserve Affairs directorate, where I led a division that worked on policy and legislative initiatives to enhance the integration of the Reserve Components of our military as part of the total operational force. I retired from the Senior Executive Service in 2015, completing almost 45 years of service to the Nation as a soldier and senior Department of Defense civilian.
I have always felt that serving one’s Nation is a higher calling and an obligation of citizenship—that is why I remained actively engaged with the US Army after leaving active service and going to work in the civilian sector. I enjoyed serving in the Army and did it gladly. The Army taught me planning, organization, and leadership skills which served me very well in my military and civilian careers.
I am proud of my service to the Nation, proud to be an airborne ranger—and have lived the Ranger creed: “rangers lead the way”. I relished command, caring for and ensuring the mission operations readiness of the soldiers and units I commanded. I have the highest respect for the noncommissioned officer corps of our military and firmly believe that it is our NCOs that make our military the best in the world.
Following complete retirement in 2015, I moved to Florida with Inga, my wife of 48 years. Our two daughters and grandchildren live in Germany. I have “given back” since complete retirement by lecturing on “Leadership Lessons Learned” from serving in senior leadership positions in the military, the US government and international corporations. I also spent a year from 2018-2019 as a senior military consultant to the military of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, instructing their nascent Joint Staff on the US military Joint Staff organization.
Since complete retirement, I must admit that my true focus has been on my fourth and most rewarding career: “professional grandfather” to my two grandchildren (12 and 15)—to be with them as much as possible as they grow up.
I was first diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2010, at age 60. I am currently 75 years old and in Stage 4 and waiting to receive a living donor transplant. I want to be around for my family and grandchildren, actively participating in family gatherings and vacations for many more years to come.
I have found it extremely difficult to make a “request” for a live donor, as my life has been one of humble service and sacrifice for my family and the soldiers and people with whom I have worked. Thank you, DOVE for giving me the opportunity to join your fine organization doing God’s work for our veterans!
For medically cleared donors, giving the gift of life through living kidney donation has been proven to be very safe. DOVE will assist all prospective donors throughout the process and make sure they do not incur any out-of-pocket expenses related to the evaluation or surgery. A healthy person can live a normal life with one kidney and save Paul‘s life with the other!
Your support, whether through spreading the word on social media or considering becoming a donor, can make a profound impact on his life and the life of his family!
Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call (551) 233-1611