Major General Palm is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Marine Corps Association and Publisher of Leatherneck magazine and the Marine Corps Gazette. Gen Palm is responsible for the strategic direction of the Association and he directs the editorial policy for both flagship publications. He assumed this position in August 1998 after retiring from the Marine Corps.
Gen Palm was born on October 14, 1944, in Marysville, California. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and also holds a Masters Degree in Military Arts and Sciences from the Army Command and General Staff College (1980) and a Masters of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, Newport, RI in June 1986.
Gen Palm’s career as a Marine spanned more than 31 years. He entered the Marine Corps through the Platoon Leaders Course Program and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in November 1966. Upon completion of The Basic School at Quantico, VA, in August 1967, he attended Field Artillery Officers Basic Course at Fort Sill Oklahoma, graduating in November 1967.
From December 1967 to December 1968, Gen Palm served in Vietnam as a Forward Observer, Fire Direction Officer in the 1st Battalion, 13th Marines at Khe Sahn. He also commanded a 155mm gun and 8 inch platoon of the 5th 155mm Gun Battery. Upon returning to the United States he was assigned to Fort Sill as a gunnery instructor in both the basic and career branches. While in this assignment, he was promoted to captain in December 1970.
In January 1972, he was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa where he commanded D Battery, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines and served as the battalion S-3 Officer. Returning from overseas, he attended the Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, and then was reassigned to The Basic School, where he commanded the Artillery Demonstration Unit. During May 1974, he transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps, where he was assigned to the Officer Assignment Section, until June 1976, when he was selected to the Aide-de-Camp to the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. He was promoted to major in July 1977.
From July 1977 to June 1979, he served in the 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, NC, as the S-3 Officer for the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines. He then attended the Army Command General Staff College, graduating in June 1980. Gen Palm was ordered to Amphibious Group Two in Little Creek, VA where he served as Assistant Plans Officer and the Supporting Arms Coordinator. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in July 1982.
From July 1982 until October 1983, he served as the Director of Manpower of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), 29 Palms, CA, then was reassigned to the 7th Marine Amphibious Brigade to command the 4th Battalion (re-designated as 5th Battalion), 11th Marines until July 1985. He graduated from the Naval War College, Newport, RI in June 1986.
He was again ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps and served as the Head of Manpower Planning and Programming and Budgeting Section. In July 1988, he was assigned as the Military Assistant to the Assistant Commandant. He was promoted to colonel in October 1988. When the Office of the Assistant Commandant and Office of the Chief of Staff were combined in February 1989, he assumed the responsibility of Secretary of the General Staff.
In August 1990, he assumed command of the 10th Marines and participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. While serving in this capacity, he was selected in December 1991 for promotion to brigadier general. He was advanced to that grade in May 1992, and assumed his duties as Assistant Deputy of Staff of Manpower and Reserve Affairs, (Manpower Plans & Policy), Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. BGen Palm assumed command of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, 29 Palms CA, in August 1994. In February 1995, while serving as the Commanding General, MCAGCC 29 Palms, he was promoted to the grade of major general.
His last assignment on active duty was as the Director of the Marine Corps Staff at Headquarters Marine Corps.
