John W. Foss

He began his military career when he enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard's 136th Infantry Regiment in April 1950.He transferred to active duty as an infantryman in 1951, received an appointment to the United States Military Academy, and was commissioned in the infantry in 1956.Foss also served as an instructor at the United States Military Academy; the first exchange instructor at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; the G-3 of III Corps; Chief of the Joint Military Advisory Group, Manila, Philippines; Commanding General, Seventh Army Training Command in Germany; the United States Army Chief of Infantry; and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Department of the Army.In retirement Foss had been Chairman of the Commission on the United States Army Reserve Command, served as a consultant to various defense industries, been on the Board of Advisors to both the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs and the National Infantry Foundation, Senior Mentor to Senior Joint Warfighting Course, Armed Forces Staff College and was a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Land Warfare of the Association of the United States Army.His wife Gloria died of cancer 26 June 2014, and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on 12 August 2014.
Hutchinson, MinnesotaWilliamsburg, VirginiaUnited States ArmyGeneralUnited States Army Training and Doctrine CommandXVIII Airborne CorpsUnited States Army Infantry School82nd Airborne Division1st Cavalry Division3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry RegimentVietnam WarArmy Distinguished Service MedalAir Force Distinguished Service MedalSilver StarDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of MeritDistinguished Flying CrossBronze Star MedalMinnesota National GuardUnited States Military Academy187th Infantry Regiments4th Infantry Division3rd Battalion, 12th InfantryFort BenningFort BraggRoyal Military Academy SandhurstIII CorpsManila, PhilippinesBachelor of ScienceMaster of ScienceShippensburg State CollegeOak Leaf ClustersRanger TabExpert Infantryman BadgeCombat Infantryman BadgeMaster Parachutist BadgeArmy Staff IdentificationJoint Chiefs of Staff Identification BadgesBronze StarMeritorious Service MedalAir MedalV Deviceaward numeralArmy Commendation MedalArmy Good Conduct MedalNational Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalVietnam Service Medalservice starsArmy Service RibbonOverseas Service RibbonPhilippine Legion of HonorOutstanding Achievement MedalOrder of Military Merit (Brazil)Republic of Vietnam Staff Service MedalRepublic of Vietnam Campaign MedalCombat Infantry BadgeArmy Staff Identification BadgeOffice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge504th Infantry RegimentDistinctive Unit InsigniaEgypt Parachutist BadgeJewish Institute for National Security AffairsArmed Forces Staff CollegeAssociation of the United States ArmyDoughboy AwardNational Infantry AssociationArlington National CemeteryMaxwell R. ThurmanCommanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine CommandFrederick M. Franks, Jr.