Herbert Lewis "Buz" Altshuler (born February 3, 1945) is a retired

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major general who served as director of strategy and plans for USAFRICOM, and commanded United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) (USACAPOC) from 2001 to 2007.

Military career and background

Born in The Bronx, Altshuler graduated from the United States Military Academy and was commissioned as a

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of Infantry in 1967. During the Vietnam War, he served as a rifle platoon leader in the

173rd Airborne Brigade The 173rd Airborne Brigade ("Sky Soldiers") is an airborne infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Eu ...

, as well as a battalion operations officer, and rifle company commander in the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry. Returning the United States, he served in various command and staff positions, including aide-de-camp to the commander, Fifth Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado. After leaving active duty, he served as operations officer, 14th Psychological Operations Battalion, and as operations officer, 7th Psychological Operations Group. Assigned to the 351st Civil Affairs Command, he served as exercise director, Secretary General Staff and Headquarters Commandant. In October 1985, he was promoted to

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

and assumed command of the 353rd Psychological Operations Battalion, until his departure to attend the Army War College. He returned to the 351st Civil Affairs Command as Chief of Operations and Plans Division, where he was promoted to colonel in 1989. In July 1991 he was assigned to the Primary Staff as deputy chief of staff of Intelligence and Security, and on June 7, 1992, Colonel Altshuler assumed command of the 7th Psychological Operations Group. In December 1995 he was mobilized and deployed to

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in support of Operation Joint Endeavor, where he served as commander, Combined Joint Psychological Operations/IFOR Information Campaign Task Force, and senior psychological operations officer, IFOR staff in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Returning home in March 1996, he relinquished command of the 7th Psychological Operations Group and assumed command of the 351st Civil Affairs Command. He returned to Bosnia with the 351st as commander of the Combined Joint Civil Military Task Force and Deputy CJ9, CIMIC, to commander, SFOR. On June 27, 1997, he was promoted to brigadier general. Upon his return from Bosnia in January 1998, he resumed command of the 351st Civil Affairs Command until March 2000, when he took command of the 89th Regional Support Command in Wichita, Kansas. On October 7, 2000, he was promoted to major general. He departed the 89th RSC on April 22, 2001, to assume command of the United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), where he served until 2007. He was then transferred to the newly created United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) as director of strategy, plans and programs. Altshuler retired on December 30, 2008, and was awarded the

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...

.Distinguished Service Medal
www.army.mil, January 17, 2009. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Basic Airborne, Ranger and

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courses, the Civil Affairs Officers Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College. His awards and decorations include two awards of the

Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...

, three awards of the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, three awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device and five Oak Leaf Clusters, The Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, Ranger and

Special Forces Tab The Special Forces Tab is a service school qualification tab of the United States Army, awarded to any soldier completing the Special Forces Qualification Course at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, Nor ...

s and numerous campaign and service medals. General Altshuler holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Business Administration degree from James Madison University.

References

External links

*Alfred H. Paddock, Jr.
The 2006 "Divorce" of US Army Reserve and Active Component Psychological Operations Units: A Re-Examination
Psywarrior.com, 2012 {{DEFAULTSORT:Altshuler, Herbert 1945 births Living people Military personnel from the Bronx United States Military Academy alumni United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War James Madison University alumni United States Army War College alumni National War College alumni Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army generals Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)