Volckmann, together with Colonels Aaron Bank and Wendell Fertig are considered the founders of the U.S. Army Special Forces (the "Green Berets").

[3] In 1930, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry upon graduation in June 1934.

Volckmann received orders to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, where he was a rifle platoon leader and later a company executive officer with the 3rd Infantry Division.

[6] In the summer of 1940, 29-year-old Captain Volckmann loaded himself, his wife Nancy and their young son aboard a ship for duty in the Far East.

This was unusual duty for a company-grade officer, but political tensions in the Pacific resulted in accelerated expansion and training for the Philippine Commonwealth Army.

[8] In August 1941, Volckmann's wife and son, along with all other U.S. military dependents, were sent back to the United States due to war concerns.

[11] Volckmann strongly credits the assistance of Filipino civilians in making their journey a success, especially during their periods of illness, and time recovering at the American Fassoth Camp.

[15] On 9 September, they met Colonels Noble and Moses, Captain Parker Calvert, and Lieutenant Arthur P. Murphy in North Luzon.

[17] Volckmann and Blackburn joined Lieutenant Rufino Baldwin, Philippine Army, in attacks on the Japanese garrisons in the Sanhiglo and Balatoc area.

After being notified on 9 June 1943 of the capture of Colonels Moses and Noble, Volckmann took command of the two thousand man strong USAFIP-NL.

[19][20] His orders from Douglas MacArthur's SWPA, were to "...limit hostilities and contact with the enemy to the minimum...your present mission as intelligence units can be of utmost value".

[23] In early 1944, Volckmann established USAFIP-NL headquarters in western Benguet, and in August 1944, received a radio set allowing direct contact with SWPA for the first time since March 1943.

[26] After the start of the Battle of Leyte, Volckmann's forces eliminated those Second Philippine Republic Bureau of Constabulary units created by the Japanese who did not surrender.

During the U.S. and Filipino invasion of the Philippines in January 1945, Volckmann's guerrillas cut key communication lines, bridges, and isolated enemy barracks.

[28] Volckmann's guerrillas numbered about 8,000 men at the start of the Battle of Luzon, but grew to 18,000 when supplied by the Sixth United States Army.

They consisted of five infantry regiments: the 11th, 14th, 15th, 66th, and the 121st,[29] with Volckmann as the Commander, United States Armed Forces in the Philippines—Northern Luzon or USAFIP-NL (Military and Guerrillas).

Less than six months into this new position, Volckmann was evacuated to the United States due to a relapse of a medical condition, most likely a severe stomach ulcer, he had incurred in the Philippines.

[35] After attending the National War College, in Washington, D.C., during 1953–1954, Volckmann served as Chief of Special Operations Division, U.S. European Command, from 1954–1956.

In a letter dated 23 February 1969, Bank gives credit to Volckmann for "the development of position, planning and policy papers that helped see the establishment of Special Forces units in the active Army".