# Abel announced as next Distribution headquarters Future Operations director

/ Published May 23, 2016
NEW CUMBERLAND, Pennsylvania, 
Paul Abel has been announced as the next DLA Distribution headquarters Future Operations director.  Currently Abel serves as DLA Distribution Europe deputy commander, a position he has held since April 2013.

A native of Annapolis, Md., he initially entered the military as an Army private in 1977. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Transportation Corps upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., in 1982.

His civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy, and Master’s degrees from the Florida Institute of Technology and the National War College.  His military education includes the Transportation Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Logistics Executive Development Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the National War College.

Abel has held a wide variety of command and staff positions. From 1983 to 1985, he was assigned to the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Polk, La., where his positions included platoon leader and company commander in the 105th Supply and Transport Battalion; transportation control officer in the 705th Support Battalion; and assistant division transportation officer. 

From 1986 to 1989, he was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division at Bad Kreuznach, Germany, where his positions included assistant DTO, and then company commander and operations officer within the 708th Support Battalion.   

From 1990 to 1991, Abel instructed at the Transportation Center and School at Fort Eustis, Va.  In 1991, he was assigned to the 22nd Support Command at King Khalid Military City and then at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; he was assigned to the assistant chief of staff for transportation, and then served as the executive officer to the deputy commanding general for operations and transportation. 

In 1992, Abel served with Military Traffic Management Command’s Engineering Agency in Newport News, Va.  From 1992 to 1995, he served with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, as the DTO, and then as the support operations officer for the 15th Support Battalion.   From 1996 to 1997, Abel served with the 1st Transportation Movement Control Agency in Kaiserslautern, Germany, as well as in Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.  He was then assigned to J-4, U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, from 1997 to 1999. 

Abel commanded the 125th Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division, Fort Riley, Kan., from 1999 to 2001.  He then served as a logistics staff officer, Strategic Mobility Division, G-4, Army Staff, Washington, D.C., from 2001 to 2003.  He commanded DLA Europe in Wiesbaden, Germany, from July 2004 to June 2008.  He retired as a colonel from the U.S. Army with over 30 years of service in September 2008. 

He served as chief of customer support for DLA Europe and Africa from December 2008 to March 2013.  His division was responsible for maximizing readiness and logistics combat power by leveraging an enterprise solution. 

His military awards include: Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal  with Four Oak Leaf Clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal with Six Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Achievement Medal with Five Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal (two awards); Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Southwest Asia Service Medal  with Bronze Service Star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon with Three Oak Leaf Clusters; NATO Medal; and the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait).  He is authorized to wear the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Staff Identification Badge, and was the recipient of the 1988 MacArthur Leadership Award for U.S. Army Europe.  His civilian awards include the DLA Meritorious Civilian Service Award, and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award.