After Taylor graduated from West Point, he served in the Infantry for six years, including tours of duty in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, and the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam during the War. He commanded a company in the 101st Division, and received a Bronze Star and Air Medal V for heroism. Later, he was an aero-rifle commander in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (United States) in Germany.[6]