Lieutenant Colonel Alvin W. Cartwright initially served as an enlisted man for three and a half years. After completing Basic Training with the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Airborne School  at Fort Benning, Georgia he served as Cadre at the Airborne Battalion,  Ft. Benning.  He applied for  OCS as an E-5 and was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class # 9-56 on 14 September 1956 at Fort Benning, Georgia.  His First duty assignment was as Commanding Officer, Company ‘A’, 11th Infantry Regiment (Basic Training Company), Fort Ord, California.  His subsequent duty assignments included:  Infantry Platoon Leader, 86th Infantry Regiment, Schweinfurt, Germany and 2d Infantry Division, Ft Benning, Georgia.  He then attended Fixed Wing Primary, Tactical and Instruments Schools at Camp Gary Texas and Ft. Rucker, Alabama.  Upon completion of flight school he served at Battle Group Flight Support Commander, 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  He attended Rotary Wing Transition course at Camp Wolters, Texas, followed by an assignment as Battalion Air Officer for the 8th Army Signal Long Line Battalion, Taejon Korea.  He then attended the Infantry Officer Advance Course at Ft. Benning, Georgia and upon completion was assigned as Flight Commander in the Department of Fixed Wing, Ft. Rucker, Alabama.  He served as the General Support Flight Commander, Operations Officer and Executive Officer in the 8th Aviation Battalion, Bad Kreuznach, Germany.  Upon completion of his assignment at the Assistant Division Aviation Officer of the 8th Infantry, he was sent to RVN as a Helicopter Gunship Platoon Commander in the 281st Assault Helicopter Company on Project Delta, 5th Special Forces Group.  He completed his tour in RVN as Operations Officer and Assistant S-3 of the 17th Aviation Group, RVN.  His next assignment was as Chief, MOI Branch in the Department of Tactics, Ft Rucker, Alabama.  The Army then sent Lt. Col. Cartwright to the Degree Completion Program (Bootstrap) at the University of Tampa, Florida.  After college He served as Commanding Officer, U.S. Army Returnee & Reassignment Station, Chief DPCA of the 9th Infantry Division, and Commanding Officer of the U.S. Army Personnel Control Facility to complete his service at Ft. Lewis, Washington.

Military school graduated from during Lt. Colonel Cartwright’s 20 years service included, Airborne School, Infantry OCS, Fixed and Rotary Wing Flight Schools, Infantry Officers Advance Course, Nuclear Weapons Employment Officer, Fixed and Rotary Wing Instrument Examiner Qualification Courses.  He earned a BA History w/ Business Minor), University of Tampa; a BA Mass Communications, University of South Florida; and a MS in Systems Management from the University of Southern California.

His military awards include:  Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (11 awards), Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal (with 1 bronze star device), Vietnam Service Medal (with 2 bronze star devices), Korean Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with hourglass device), Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm (individual award), RVN Campaign Medal, Valorous Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (2 awards), United States Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to Project Delta).  He has also earned the Senior Army Aviator Badge, Parachutist Badge and various weapons badges.