Robert Schmidbauer is the Commander of Post 6683, the Senior Vice Commander of District 7, and the Surgeon for the Department of Alabama VFW. He also serves as the department's Legislative Chair and previously served as the Chief of Staff and National Deputy Chief of Staff.
Robert enlisted in the US Army in July 1987 as a 71D (now 27D) Paralegal; he served on active duty until November 1993 and transitioned into the US Army Reserve as a Senior Paralegal NCO until he transitioned to the NYARNG in November 1998, also serving as a Senior Paralegal NCO. Robert applied for Warrant Officer and was accepted in 2004; however, due to his unit’s mobilization and deployment to Iraq, he did not attend the US Warrant Officer Candidate School until 2007. After becoming a Warrant Officer, Robert returned to active duty as a Chief Warrant Officer Two in January 2009 and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer Four in March 2020.
His assignments include the 10th Mountain Division, 25th Infantry Division, 7th Legal Support Command, 42nd Infantry Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, US Army Recruiting Command, United States Forces Command – Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan, Office of the Judge Advocate General – Pentagon, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, and the US Army Warrant Officer Career College. Robert has deployments to Panama, Sinai, Egypt, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He was also mobilized to New York City for seven months in support of the attacks on the World Trade Center.
Roberts awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4th Award), Army Commendation Medal (7th Award), Army Achievement Medal (5th Award), NATO Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal (3), Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (4), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (4), Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Devise, Multinational Forces and Observer Medal, Defense of Liberty with WTC Devise and the Army Staff Identification Badge. He was bestowed the Honorary Order of Kentucky Colonel in 2011.
He earned a Certificate in Broadcast Journalism from the New School of Radio and Television, Albany, New York, in 1993 and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Trident University International in 2011.
Robert and his wife Dawn were married in August 1998 and reside in Enterprise, Alabama. They have three children, Robert, Christina, and Amber, and four grandchildren, Skylar, Lilly, Robert, and Ryleigh.
He is the Project Manager and Lead Training Developer for FITT Scientific, working on the Training Development Contract for the Warrant Officer Career College at Fort Novosel, Alabama.