Veterans' Memorial Project

Robert Joseph Paul

The Dalles, OR

Operation Enduring Freedom

Staff Sgt. Paul was a trained civil affairs non-commissioned officer assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 364th Civil Affairs Brigade, Portland, Oregon. He died in Kabul, Afghanistan, while deployed to combat when a vehicle bomb detonated near his up-armored Humvee during a patrol on September 8, 2006. Staff Sgt. Paul enlisted into the Army Reserve in April, 1997, and later completed his basic combat training and attended advanced individual training at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He graduated from the Psychological Operations Specialist Course there and was immediately assigned to the 320th Psychological Operations Company, an Army Reserve Special Operations tactical PSYOP unit located in Portland, Oregon. In September, 2000, Paul was promoted to PSYOP team sergeant and then to staff sergeant in 2003. He assumed the duties of PSYOP platoon leader and PSYOP team chief. In 2003, Paul returned to the USAJFKSWCS and completed the Civil Affairs Reclassification Course. He was immediately assigned to the 425th Civil Affairs Battalion, Santa Barbara, California, and deployed shortly thereafter to Iraq where he served as a CA team sergeant focusing on urban planning–his chief civilian skill. Paul returned to the Middle East in spring of 2006 as a staff sergeant with the 364th when he mobilized and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His military awards and decorations include: the Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device and numeral two, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral two, Army Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Driver and Mechanic Badge with “W” (wheeled) Bar and the Marksman Weapons Qualifications Badge.

– submitted by Alan Rice, friend