Career in The Military
After graduating from Georgia Tech Lee Robinson enlisted in the U.S. Army under the college option program. Following basic training, he attended Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia where he finished on the Commandant’s List and attended Airborne School. As a commissioned Second Lieutenant, Robinson received command of a platoon of the 173d Airborne Brigade in Viet Nam. While in Viet Nam, Robinson was awarded three Bronze Star Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge. After returning from Viet Nam, Robinson was promoted to Captain and commanded a 600-man headquarters company at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The second award of the Army Commendation Medal recognized his performance.
Although actively pursuing a civilian career, Robinson continued to serve the nation in the United States Army Reserve and in 1975 was promoted to major. Robinson, a parachute rigger, commanded the 421st Quartermaster Company (Air Delivery) in Fort Valley, Georgia, for four years. The award of the Meritorious Service Medal recognized this paratrooper’s performance over the four years he served as the Commanding Officer of the 421st.
In September 1985, Major Robinson was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. From July 1986 to August 1988, he commanded the 352nd Maintenance Battalion on Riverside Drive in Macon. Robinson received a second award of the Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of this highly successful command. Robinson then returned to Headquarters 81st Army Reserve Command where he served as the Maintenance Division Chief and subsequently as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics. He was presented with his third award of the Meritorious Service Medal for noteworthy achievement during Operation Desert Shield, when more than fifty reserve units from Georgia were mobilized. Robinson was promoted to Colonel in September 1990, and assumed command of the 3294th United States Army Reserve Forces School on Riverside Drive in Macon. In September 1993, he relinquished command of the School and assumed responsibility of Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics with the 81st Army Reserve Command in East Point, Georgia.
As part of downsizing the 81st Army Reserve Command (ARCOM) and other ARCOMs in the South Eastern United States were combined to become the 81st Regional Support Command (RSC) which now had responsibility for five states. Robinson was selected as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics for the new RSC and remained at that post until being selected to command Headquarters Third United States Army (Augmentation). This troop program unit is an integral part of the Third Army. Colonel Robinson served as commander for deployment and redeployment of Bright Star 97, one of this country's most important Southwest Asia military exercises. The Commander of Third Army, General Tommy Franks, awarded him an impact Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of superior performance during Bright Star 1997. Colonel Robinson relinquished command and retired from the active reserve in 1999. The Commander of Third United States Army awarded him the Legion of Merit for his noteworthy and exemplary service to the nation. Colonel Robinson also received the second award of the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious service to his nation from First United States Army, upon recommendation of the 81st Regional Support Command. Colonel Robinson was inducted into the United States Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame on April 6, 2001.
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