Paul K. Van Riper (born July 5, 1938) is a retired United States Marine lieutenant general. Van Riper was a combat veteran—twice receiving the Silver Star Medal for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War. At the time of his retirement, Van Riper was serving as the Commanding General, 2nd Marine Division and Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia. Since his retirement, Van Riper has served on several advisory boards and panels. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.
Early life
Paul K. Van Riper was born on July 5, 1938, in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. He has a twin brother, James.
Marine Corps career
Van Riper enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and underwent recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, in the fall of 1956, joined Officer Candidate Course in June 1963 and commissioned a second lieutenant in November 1963. He completed the Basic School at MCB Quantico and received his first assignment to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division where he served as platoon commander and company executive officer.
In late 1965, Van Riper served in the Republic of Vietnam as an advisor with the Vietnamese Marine Corps, was wounded while attacking a NVA machine gun in a rice paddy outside Saigon, and evacuated on February 7, 1966. Van Riper served as an instructor at the Basic school then was a student in the Amphibious Warfare School. He was next assigned back to the Republic of Vietnam as a company commander and an assistant operations officer with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He commanded 3rd Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division (Mike Company) in South Vietnam during 1968.
As a lieutenant colonel, Van Riper was a student in the College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College from August 1977 until June 1978 earning a Master's degree. He later served in Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Okinawa. Van Riper assumed duties of Commanding Officer, Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Cecil Field, Florida from 1979 to 1981. As a colonel, Van Riper attended the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania from August 1981 until June 1982. Van Riper assumed command of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment from May 1983 to August 1984 and later commanded the 4th Marines from June 1985 to December 1986. Van Riper served temporarily as a member of the MARCENT/I Marine Expeditionary Force staff during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from January to March 1991. Van Riper served as Commanding General, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune from 25 June 1991 to 3 April 1993. Van Riper relinquished his command to major general Richard I. Neal.
Returning to Washington, D.C., Van Riper served as Assistant Chief of Staff, Command, Control, Communications, and Computer and as Director of Intelligence from April 1993 until July 1995. He was advanced to Lieutenant General and assumed his last post on July 13, 1995. At this post Lieutenant General Van Riper was an honorary member of the Provost Marshal Office, and spent some of his lunch breaks issuing speeding tickets across MCB Quantico. Lieutenant General Van Riper retired on 1 October 1997, after more than 41 years of service. He was decorated with Navy Distinguished Service Medal at his retirement ceremony.
Post-retirement
Van Riper played the Red Team opposing force commander in the Millennium Challenge 2002 wargame. He easily sank a whole carrier battle group in the simulation with an inferior Middle-Eastern "red" team in the first two days.