Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Joseph R. Branch was one of the first four year ROTC scholarship winners to attend Appalachian State and received his undergraduate degree in Business in 1974. As a cadet from 1970 to 1974, he was very active in the ROTC program and later served as commander of Scabbard and Blade, Pershing Rifles, and later the Cadet Battalion. Upon graduation he was recognized in Who's Who in American Universities and received a Regular Army Commission in the Infantry.
His duty assignments have included:
- Platoon Leader, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO
- Platoon Leader, A Co., 17th Infantry, Korea
- ROTC Instructor at Davidson College
- Plans Officer, US Army Headquarters Europe, Heidelberg, Germany
- Operations Officer, Fort Stewart, GA
- Training Officer, 24th Infantry Division
- Operations Officer/Executive Officer, Readiness Group Lee, Fort Lee, VA
- Senior Operations Officer, Joint Staff, The Pentagon
- Assistant Deputy Director of Operations, National Military Command Center
- Professor of Military Science at Appalachian State University
His awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, The Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Ranger Tab, and the Excellence In Competition Badge for Rifle Marksmanship.