Robert Tonsetic

Robert Tonsetic was born and raised in western Pennsylvania. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1964, he entered the Army as an infantry lieutenant. After completing Special Forces training, he deployed to Thailand as an advisor to Royal Thai Army Special Forces. During the Vietnam War, he served as a light infantry company commander & as an advisor to Vietnamese Ranger & Airborne units. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star for extraordinary heroism during the 1968 Tet & May Offensives. In 1970, he returned to Vietnam, and served as a senior advisor to South Vietnamese Ranger and Airborne battalions earning the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and the U.S. Bronze Star for Valor. He retired from the Army at the rank of Colonel after a 27 years of service as an infantry and Special Forces officer. After completing his Doctorate in 1996, he taught at the graduate level at the University of Central Florida. In 2014, Colonel Tonsetic was inducted into the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame. He currently resides on Maryland's eastern shore where he continues to write.