2007 Guest Speaker

CPT Anselm Richards

CPT Anselm T W Richards was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 21 April 1970. Having been reared in Philadelphia and graduated from Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School, he attended Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, from which he was graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, a double major in History and Philosophy.  While in college, he was a member of the Varsity Baseball and Sailing Teams.

Upon his return to Philadelphia in 1992, CPT Richards was employed by a Center City law firm as a Legal Administrator.  In 2000, CPT Richards enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, A Troop, 1/104th Cavalry, as a 19 D (Cavalry Scout) and attended OSUT Training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.  At that time he was also elected to membership in the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, the oldest military unit in continuous service in the United States.  In 2002, he entered Officer Candidate School at Ft. Indian Town Gap and was commissioned from the first accelerated class, 43a, in August 2002.  CPT Richards then attended The Armor Officer Basic Course at Ft. Knox and was graduated in September of 2003. He served as a tank platoon leader in A Troop, 1/104th Cavalry
           
In January of 2005, CPT Richards was deployed with B Troop, 1/104th Cavalry to Ar Ramadi, Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom IV.  He was an Armored Platoon Leader in Ar Ramadi, leading a platoon comprised of twenty seven soldiers, four HMMWVs and two M1A1 Tanks in combat operations in the Ar Ramadi province of Iraq.  He returned from his tour in Iraq on 10 June 2006 to Philadelphia and A TRP, 1/104th Cavalry.

CPT Richards, a bachelor, resides in Center City Philadelphia and is the Chief Operations Officer with Main Line Financial Advisors, LLC, a Financial Administrative Group in Philadelphia.  He was elected to membership in the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of The Revolution in January of 2007.    On 5 February 2007, CPT Richards was made Commander of A TRP 1/104th Cavalry and Captain of the First City Troop.

CPT Richards has been awarded the Bronze Star, The Army Commendation Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, The National Defense Service Medal, The Iraq Campaign Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Medal, The Army Service Ribbon, The Overseas Service Ribbon and the Armed Forces Reserve medal with “M” Device.