Donald Snedeker

Born 16 July 1946 in Brooklyn, NY. Army Brat (Father LTC George Snedeker, U.S. Cavalry, including 15th Cavalry Group (Mechanized), France, 1944-45; 89th Tank Battalion, Korea, 1950-51; and 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Camp Carson, CO, 1952-54). 1969: Graduated from Xavier University (Political Science), Feb 1969. Entered Army 16 February 1969. Armor Officer Basic Course, Airborne School, followed by service in Mike Company, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Ft. Lewis, WA, as Tank Platoon Leader and Tank Company Executive Officer. 1969: Jungle School (Panama) en route to Vietnam. 1969-1970: Initially assigned to Headquarters Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Blackhorse), later reassigned to Charlie Troop and Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 1st Armored Cavalry (Blackhawks). Service as Armored Cavalry Platoon Leader, Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol Platoon Leader, Troop Executive Officer. Bronze Star "V" for valor, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge. 1970-1973: 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry, 2nd Armored Division, Ft. Hood, TX. Service as Troop Executive Officer, Troop Commander (Headquarters and Headquarters Troop and Charlie Troop), Assistant Squadron S-3 (Plans and Operations). 1973-1974: Armor Officers Career Course, top 10% of class. Concurrently, service as Mobility Project Officer for the Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle (ARSV) Task Force (that selected the M3 as the future scout vehicle for the Army). 1974-1978: 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fulda, Germany. Service as Assistant Regimental S-3 (Training), 1st Squadron S-2 (Intelligence), Commander, Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron. 1978-1979: Foreign Area Officer (FAO) qualification courses (French language training, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA, and FAO Course, Ft. Bragg, NC). 1979-1982: Office of Deputy Chief of Staff, Combat Developments, US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Service as Secretary, US-Germany Army-to-Army Staff Talks (Commanding General, TRADOC-level). Concurrently, Command and General Staff College by correspondence and Masters Degree (International Studies), Old Dominion University. 1982-1984: Student, German Armed Forces Staff College, Hamburg, Germany. Concurrently, Foreign Area Officer qualification, Western European FAO. 1984-1986: 2nd Brigade, 3rd Armored Division. Service as Brigade S-3 (Operations and Training), Brigade Executive Officer. 1986-1989: Office of J-5 (Strategic Plans and Policy), Joint Staff. Service as Germany/Italy/ Austria/Switzerland Desk Officer, Secretary US-Germany and US-Italy Joint Staff Talks (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-level). 1988: Awarded the Federal Republic of Germany Bundesverdienstkreuz (Federal Service Cross) in Silver. 1989-1990: Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Service as speechwriter to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Admiral William Crowe, General Colin Powell). 1990-1991: Exchange Instructor and Liaison Officer from US Command and General Staff College (Ft. Leavenworth) to German Tactics Center and Army Officers Academy, Hanover, Germany. Part of four-officer team visiting all former East German Army military facilities in preparation for integration into the Bundeswehr. Concurrently, US Army War College by correspondence. 1991-1992: On-Site Inspection Agency-Europe. Service as Chief of Inspectors and Escorts for conventional and nuclear arms control treaty inspections in Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. 1992: Awarded US Army Armor Association’s Order of Saint George in Silver. 1992: Retired as Lieutenant Colonel from active military service.