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| Colonel Paul Logan | |
|---|---|
| Name | Paul Logan |
| Birth date | 1958 |
| Birth place | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Serviceyears | 1980–2010 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment; 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division |
| Battles | Invasion of Panama; Gulf War; Operation Enduring Freedom; Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Awards | Silver Star; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal |
Colonel Paul Logan was a United States Army officer whose career spanned conventional airborne operations, special operations liaison, and brigade-level command during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Known for leadership in the Invasion of Panama, the Gulf War, and post-9/11 campaigns, he served in airborne infantry and Ranger formations and later advised joint task forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. Logan's career intersected with major units, commanders, and operations that reshaped United States military policy and expeditionary doctrine.
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Logan attended Texas Christian University where he participated in Reserve Officers' Training Corps and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He completed the United States Army Command and General Staff College and later attended the National War College for a Master of Science in National Security Strategy. His professional military education included completion of the United States Army Ranger School, Airborne School (United States Army), and the Joint Forces Staff College, which prepared him for combined arms leadership and joint staff assignments with formations such as the 82nd Airborne Division and the Joint Special Operations Command.
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1980, Logan served with light infantry units in the 82nd Airborne Division and later with the 75th Ranger Regiment, where he advanced through company- and battalion-level leadership. During the late 1980s, he deployed with Ranger task forces in support of contingency operations that included cooperation with United States Southern Command elements during the United States invasion of Panama. Promoted to field grade, Logan held battalion command in the Ranger Regiment and subsequently served as executive officer at brigade staff level within the XVIII Airborne Corps. His staff assignments included roles in the United States Central Command forward element and as a plans officer for the U.S. Army Forces Command, where he worked on operational planning for the Gulf War and early Operation Enduring Freedom preparations.
Logan's operational resume included leading Ranger operations during the Operation Just Cause phase of the United States invasion of Panama and overseas deployments during the Gulf War with coalition formations such as VII Corps and Coalition forces in the Gulf War. In the post-9/11 era, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom where he coordinated joint special operations with elements of the Navy SEALs, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. During the Iraq campaign, Logan served with a brigade combat team in Operation Iraqi Freedom, integrating capabilities from the 1st Cavalry Division and liaising with multinational partners under the Multinational Force Iraq framework. He also contributed to counterinsurgency planning alongside advisors attached to the Iraqi Army and coordinated stability operations with civilian agencies including delegations from the United States Agency for International Development in provincial reconstruction efforts.
For actions during combat operations, Logan received the Silver Star and multiple awards of the Bronze Star Medal with valor device, recognizing gallantry in action alongside units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division. His service earned him the Legion of Merit for exceptional conduct in joint and combined staff roles at United States Central Command and the Joint Chiefs of Staff liaison billets. Other decorations included the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and campaign medals associated with the Persian Gulf War and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Unit citations during his tenure referenced collaborations with the Multinational Corps Iraq and the United States Special Operations Command task elements.
After retiring in 2010, Logan transitioned to advisory roles with defense think tanks affiliated with National Defense University curricula and consulting positions with defense industry firms supporting U.S. Army Futures Command modernization initiatives. He lectured at institutions including West Point and contributed to doctrine seminars at the Association of the United States Army, focusing on airborne operations, joint interoperability, and lessons from counterinsurgency campaigns. His mentorship of junior officers influenced careers across the Ranger Regiment, Airborne brigades, and joint special operations communities. Historian analyses in military journals have connected his command decisions to evolving practices within U.S. Army doctrine and to reforms linked to post-conflict reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Category:1958 births Category:United States Army colonels Category:Recipients of the Silver Star Category:People from Fort Worth, Texas