James
Guest
Guest
CPT · HQ ·
In-Country Service
1966 – 1967
Home of Record
Elberton, Georgia
Character of Service
Honorable
Archive Status
Active
Primary sources: the USASOC History Office's "ARSOF Icons" biography (includes video interview clip descriptions) and the National Special Forces Green Beret Memorial Foundation's career biography/tribute page. Both are institutional/organizational sources, not family-supplied. If you served with or knew James Guest, please use the contribute form to share what you remember.
1960-06
Commissioned
Commissioned 2LT Infantry — North Georgia College, June 1960
Graduated North Georgia College (now the University of North Georgia), Dahlonega, Georgia, and commissioned as an Infantry Second Lieutenant.
1962
Special Forces
Joined 10th Special Forces Group in Bad Tölz, Germany
Volunteered for Special Forces and completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1962, beginning a long association with the Special Forces regiment.
1966
Company Command
Took command of a D Co, 2/8 Cav company — 1st Cavalry Division, 1966-67
After graduating the Infantry Officer Advanced Course in 1966, deployed to Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), commanding a company of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry (Company D, per the Green Beret Memorial biography), later serving as Assistant S-3, 1st Brigade (Airborne), during the same tour. Command dates span 1966-67; no more specific dates found yet.
1969
Second Tour
Returned to Vietnam as a province advisor
Second Vietnam tour, as a Regional/Popular Force Advisor and later Deputy Province Advisor, Advisory Team 69, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) — after an intervening posting as an instructor and Executive Officer at the Mountain Ranger Camp.
1985-08
Command
Assumed command of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School
As Commanding General, USAJFKSWCS, oversaw Special Forces becoming a basic U.S. Army branch (1987), the first SF assessment & selection program (1988), and a single training standard for active, Guard, and Reserve SF soldiers.
1989-12-01
USASOC
U.S. Army Special Operations Command activated
As Commanding General, 1st Special Operations Command, was instrumental in establishing the major command for Army Special Operations Forces, activated as USASOC on 1 December 1989.
2009
Honor
Named a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment
Recognized in 2009 as a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment.
2025-04-03
Died
Died — April 3, 2025, age 86
Passed away on April 3, 2025, at age 86 — nine days before what would have been his 87th birthday.
Did You Know James, or Serve Alongside James?
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