Robert Kopczyk
South Region
U.S. Army
Major Kopczyk joined the Army in January of 1988. He graduated from Anchor Bay High School, New Baltimore, Michigan in June 1988. He attended basic training at Fort Knox, KY and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon, GA, MAJ Kopczyk attended the Basic Morse Code at Fort Gordon and Jump School at Fort Benning, GA. He was then stationed at Fort Bragg, NC and assigned to the 112th Special Operations Signal Battalion (SO) (Airborne). There, he served as a Special Operations Communications Assemblage (SOCA) team member where he provided all military branches with special operations communications support to include SFOD(D) and United States Special Operations Command. MAJ Kopczyk also served as the Senior Communicator for Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha SFOD(A); 721, 723, and 724 for Bravo Company, 1st BN, 7th SFG(A). He was a Team Sergeant for a Special Operations Team Alpha SOT(A) that provided direct support for Counternarcotic operations in Colombia and Peru.
In 1999, MAJ Kopczyk left active duty to attend the University of Texas at El Paso. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in May of 2003. MAJ Kopczyk obtained a Direct Commission into the Military Intelligence branch in September 2000. He attended OBC at Fort Huachuca and then became the S-2 of the 413th Civil Affairs Bn in Lubbock Texas. MAJ Kopzcyk was personally selected to General Davidson’s staff as a Joint Civil Military Planner for OIFII. Upon completing his OIF tour, MAJ Kopczyk returned to active duty as an AMEDD Officer in August 2004. He attended the AMEDD OBC course and was assigned to 3East at BAMC. In November 2005 MAJ Kopzcyk attended the Critical Care Nurse course and was assigned to the ICU at William Beaumont AMC, Ft Bliss. MAJ Kopczyk volunteered to be the Brigade Nurse for 4th BCT, 1AD and subsequently deployed to Iraq. MAJ Kopczyk completed the two year assignment and returned back to the ICU at WBAMC were he was chosen to be the acting Head Nurse for 6 month. He then transferred to the Education Division were he was the Deputy Chief of Staff. MAJ Kopczyk retired from the Army on February 22nd, 2013. He then worked in a 23-bed ICU in Las Cruces, NM., while perusing his Masters Degree in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Texas Tech University. Major (retired) Kopczyk currently works as a Nurse Practitioner for the El Paso Veterans Heathcare system. He has been there for the past 5 years.
MAJ Kopczyk’s Military Education includes the John F. Kennedy Special Forces Qualification Course, Military Intelligence Officers Basic Course, AMEDD Officers Basic Course, Civil Affairs Officer Advance Course, Joint Strategic Planning for Civil Military Operations Course. MAJ Kopczyk also served in a multitude of enlisted and officer assignments primarily in the Special Operations Arena. He has participated in many named conflicts and overseas deployments to include El Salvador, Operations Just Cause in Panama, Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Provide Comfort in Turkey, JTF-Bravo Honduras, JTF-Six El Paso, JTF-Safe Border in Ecuador/Peru, and two tours in Iraq (2003-2004, 2009-2010).
MAJ Kopczyk’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with “V”, Purple Heart medal, MSM-2, JSCM, ARCOM-3, JSAM-2, AAM-4, ARGCM-3, NDSM-2 BSS, Iraq CM,GWOT-EXP, GWOT-SVC, AEM, ARCAM, AFRM-“M”, KLM-Kuwait, KLM-Saudi Arabia, Humanitarian Service medal, SWAM-2BSS, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, Special Forces Tab, Expert Infantry badge, Expert Field Medical badge, Combat Medical badge, Basic Airborne Parachute Badge, Military Free Fall badge, JMUA-4 OLC, MUC-1OLC, ASUA, Multiple Foreign Parachute Badges including: Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, and Korea.
Major Kopczyk completed 32 deployments between the U.S. and Overseas 8 of which are combat tours/imminent danger areas.
Major (retired) Kopczyk is married to Mellzad (Moreno) Kopczyk for 27 years.
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