Colonel Joseph F. Hunt

Colonel Joseph F. Hunt, United States Army (Retired), age 74, passed away at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas on August 31, 2022, at 06:31 with his family by his side. A True American Hero, COL Hunt was one of its most dedicated and respected career Army Officers. He will always be remembered as a loving husband and devoted family man. COL Hunt loved fishing in the great outdoors of Alaska, sharing his passion for traveling and showing the world to his family. His favorite family vacation was to “Grandpa’s Beach” in Hawaii. COL Hunt was born in Bethesda, Maryland, and was preceded in death by parents Joe and Mary Hunt of Norfolk, Virginia. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Carol Clark Hunt, of San Antonio, Texas; daughters Monica and husband Matthew Carbery; Kimberly and husband Christopher Hill, and grandchildren Jillian and Paige Carbery, and Jackson and Madison Hill, all of The Woodlands, Texas. He is also survived by brother Kevin Hunt and wife Sue Beth of Virginia Beach, Virginia. A native of Norfolk, Virginia, COL Hunt completed two years of study at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, and enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantryman on April 9, 1968. At the completion of Basic and Advanced Individual Training, he attended Infantry Officer Candidate School (IOCS) at Fort Benning, Georgia and graduated on March 4, 1969. He held a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from University of Southern Mississippi. COL Hunt was a graduate of Infantry Officer Advanced Course (IOAC), U.S. Air Force Command and Staff Course, the U.S. Army War College and the Joint Professional Military Education, Phase II. COL Hunt retired from active duty on April 1, 1999. After contractor work for the Fifth Army, COL Hunt entered the Department of the Army Civil Service in April 2000 until his retirement on January 1, 2018. COL Hunt began his military career as an instructor in the Ranger Department at Fort Benning, Georgia. From February 1970 to April 1972, he served 6 campaigns in the Republic of Vietnam as a Senior Advisor to Vietnamese Ranger and Airborne Battalions. Upon his return, COL Hunt was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, where he served as an Assistant S-3 and Rifle Company Commander in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry. After IOAC, he was assigned to the Raleigh District Recruiting Command as the area Commander in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In January 1979, COL Hunt was assigned to the Berlin Brigade where he served as Aide-De-Camp for the U.S. Commander of Berlin and Operations Officer/Executive Officer, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry. His next assignment was with the 82nd Airborne Division where he served as the G3 Plan Officer, 3rd Brigade Operations Officer/Executive Officer and the G3 Operations Officer (Grenada, Operation Urgent Fury). In April 1985, COL Hunt was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at Fort Myer, Virginia, as the Deputy Regimental Commander. In June 1987, he assumed command of 3rd Battalion, 27th Infantry at Fort Ord, California (Honduras, Operation Golden Pheasant). In January 1989, COL Hunt assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia (Panama, Operation Just Cause). After attending the Army War College, he returned to Fort Myer as the Regimental Commander of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). In June 1993, he returned to Germany to become the Director of Operations, J3, Special Operations Command Europe (Iraq, Operation Provide Comfort and Northern Watch; Uganda, Operation Support Hope; Bosnia, Operation Provide Promise and Operation Sharp Guard). He served as Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina from November 1995 to August 1997. COL Hunt served as Brigade Commander, 120th Infantry Brigade, Fort Sam Houston, Texas from October 1997 until his retirement from the Army in April 1999. After retirement in 1999, COL Hunt was selected to stand up a training organization to provide Training and Readiness Oversight to the new National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams in the Fifth Army Area of Operations. He held this position with the Fifth Army until his final retirement on January 1, 2018. COL Hunt’s awards and honors include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star with “V” Device with eight Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with “V” Device and Numeral Five, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device and two Oak Leaf Clusters, and numerous service medals and foreign awards. He is the Recipient of the Combat Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge with Combat Star, Pathfinder Badge, and Air Assault Badge. COL Hunt has been inducted into the Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame and awarded the Order of Saint Maurice by the National Infantryman’s Association.

Funeral service will be held Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at 9:00 a.m., Fort Myer Old Post Chapel, followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery.