Colonel
Richard P. Stage was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Infantry, upon
graduation from Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning , Georgia, in
September, 1971. He previously served as a Fire Direction Controller (13E),
in the California Army National Guard. His first assignment was as a Heavy
Mortar Platoon Leader, followed by assignments as the Company Executive
Officer and Commander for Combat Support Company, 1st Battalion,
184th Infantry (M) in Turlock, California, through 1977. He
served on Active Duty to complete the Infantry Officer Mortar, Basic and
Advance courses. Subsequently, he served a year on Active Duty as a
Recruiting Officer in Stockton, California. He was then assigned as the
State Operations Officer for the California Cadet Corps (JROTC) serving a
year on State Active Duty. He left the National Guard in 1978 after a
final assignment as the Operations Officer (Air) and full-time S-3, for 1st
Battalion, 184th Infantry (M) in Modesto, California.
Colonel Stage moved to
San Jose, California as he was hired by IBM Corporation and joined the 91st
Division in July, 1978, as Commander, Co C, 1st Battalion, 361st
Regiment, San Jose. He moved to the Assistant Operations Officer position,
2d Brigade, 91st Division (TNG), Hamilton Field, in 1981,
followed by assignment as the Operations Officer for 3d Battalion, 362d
Regiment, San Jose, in 1982. Colonel Stage earned the Chaplain Barry Award
as the “Outstanding Company Grade Officer in the
91st Division” and completed Command
and General Staff College during this period. In 1986, Colonel Stage
joined the 351st Civil Affairs Command, Mountain View, California, and
served in the Operations Section and as Secretary General Staff. He assumed
Command of the 445th Civil Affairs Battalion, Oakland Army Base
in 1990, which supported the 25th Infantry Division. He served
a short tour as an Action Officer, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, in 1993
during the Somalia Operation. He then returned to the 351st Civil Affairs
Command and served as the Public Finance Officer and Team Chief, Economics
Team. He was mobilized in 1995 for seven months of active duty in support
of operations in Haitti, serving as Chief, Current Operations Cell, United
States Army Civil Affaris and Psychological Operations Command, Fort Bragg,
North Carolina. He completed the United States Army War College during this
period. Upon return to Reserve status, he became Chief, Government Team
and later Assistant Chief of Staff, Personnel, for the 351st CA Command. He
was mobilized again in 1997 and served as Deputy
Commander, Combined Joint Civil Military Task Force, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Colonel Stage returned to the 351st Civil Affairs Command in January, 1998,
to become Chief of Staff. He subsequently was selected to command
Simulations Exercise Group 3, 1st Bde, 91st Div (TS) ,
Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, Dublin, CA, in October 1998. He
returned as Chief of Staff, 351st CACOM in November, 2000. He
retired from the Army Reserve on 1 October 2001.
Colonel Stage’s awards
include: The Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal,
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal
with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Meritorious Unit Award and numerous
service medals. He earned the Recruiters “Gold
Badge” while serving with the National Guard.
He is a Distinguished Member of the Civil Affairs Corps Regiment and
‘Temple’ Award recipient. He was inducted into the
“OCS” Hall of Fame, FT Benning, GA in 1998.
Colonel Stage has
been married to the former Betty Cordes for over 48
years and has a daughter and a son, and, two
grandchildren. He retired from IBM at the end of
2007 having served over 30 years with the last three years on international
assignment in Asia. He is a graduate of California State University –
Stanislaus with a BA in Business Administration – Marketing and the
Army War College. He served as the California –
Bay Area Chair and Director for Military Outreach with
ESGR for ten years, was a National Volunteer of the Year twice and is
currently the State Vice-Chai. He has served as
a chapter president for AUSA and ROA. He
previously served on the AUSA National Advisory Board of Directors.
He was appointed as a United States Army Reserve Ambassador for
California in 2016. He has served on the board for
the Civil Affairs
Association and was a
national vice-president for 13 terms.
He also belongs to American Legion, VFW, MOAA, ROA, NGCA, NGAUS
and a variety of military alumni associations.