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LtGen Trainor enlisted in the Marine Corps at the end of World War II and was called to active duty in 1946. Pvt. Trainor attended recruit training at Parris Island. Later,while a Pfc, he was selected for officer training under the Holloway Program (later the NROTC) and assigned to Holy Cross College, Worcester, MA as a midshipman Marine option. Upon graduation in June of 1951 he was commissioned a second lieutenant and attended The Basic School, Quantico, VA until December 1951. He then joined the First Marine Division in Korea, where he served as an infantry platoon leader with C Company 1st Bn. 1st Marines

Returning from overseas in 1952, his next assignment was as Assistant S-3 with the 8th Marines, Second Marine Division, followed in 1953 ,by a tour of sea duty in USS Columbus (CA-74). He was promoted to captain and was detachment commander until 1955. He then served as a staff officer In the Personnel Department at Headquarters Marine Corps. Capt. Trainor next served on exchange duty with the Royal Marine Commandos, where he was trained as a commando and in mountain and winter warfare. He then commanded A Troop, 45 Commando in the Mediterranean. In 1959 he returned to the United States, rejoined the First Division and served successively as a company commander in reconnaissance, antitank and infantry battalions (3rd Bn. 5th Marines).

His FMF tour was followed by NROTC duty at the University of Colorado, after which. Major Trainor attended the Command and Staff College at Quantico in 1964. Upon graduation he attended a special forces course at Fort Bragg, NC prior to going to Vietnam. There he served, 1965-66 in a covert warfare unit (SOG), whose operations remained classified until publicly recognized in 2001 by award of a Presidential Unit Citation for heroism. Returning from Vietnam, Trainor taught at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College until 1969 at which time he attended the Air War College, Montgomery Alabama. Upon graduation as a "Distinguished Graduate" and recipient of the Air University's Anderson Memorial Award for politico-military thought. Promoted to lieutenant colonel, he returned to Vietnam where he commanded the 1st Bn. 5th Marines and subsequently the 1st Reconnaissance Bn. He had the honor of returning the latter's battalion colors to the United States and presented them before the President Richard M. Nixon as part of the First Marine Division's homecoming parade in 1971.

Lt. Col. Trainor then reported to Headquarters Marine Corps as a joint plans officer and was promoted to colonel. In 1974 he was reassigned to New York City as Director of the 1st Marine District, responsible for recruiting and reserve matters in the Northeastern states. Selected for brigadier general in 1976, he reported to the Parris Island Recruit Depot as Assistant Depot Commander, until ordered to Quantico in 1978 as Director of the Marine Corps Education Center in the grade of major general. In 1981 he assumed the duties Director of Plans at Headquarters until his appointment to lieutenant general as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Policies and Operations and Marine Corps Deputy to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1983. The general retired from active duty on 30 June 1985.

LtGen. Trainor has been awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, Bronze Star and two Navy Commendation Medals, all with Combat "V," the Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential and Navy Unit Citations, three Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry (with silver stars), the Vietnamese Honor Medal (First Class). He wears the Navy-Marine parachute wings and holds two campaign stars for Korea and four for Vietnam.

After retirement, LtGen. Trainor joined The New York Times as its military correspondent. As a journalist, he covered military matters at home and abroad and provided on-the-scene analysis of conflicts throughout the Third World. In 1990, he joined Harvard's Kennedy School of Government as Director of the National Security Program. He also retained his journalistic affiliation as a columnist for The Times News Service and became a television military analyst. Lt.Gen.Trainor retired from his directorship at Harvard in September 1996 and assumed associate status at The Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School. He then was a Senior Fellow for National Security at the Council on Foreign Relations and remains military analyst for NBC television.

LtGen. Trainor holds a Master's degree in History and did graduate work for a doctorate at the University of Colorado. Lt. Gen.General Trainor was a commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Roles and Missions, Advisor to the Secretary of Defense on certain Korean matters, for which he was awarded Defense Medal for Outstanding Service. He also served on the Naval War College Advisory Board and the Board of Visitors for the Air University and is on the Board of Directors of The World Affairs Council. In addition, he is on the editorial board of Joint Force Quarterly and editorial advisor to the Naval War College Review. General Trainor was a contributing author to American Defense Annual, Defense Beat, Newsmen and National Defense, After the Storm, Perspectives on War Fighting and The Emerging Strategic Environment. He is co-author of The Generals’ War, the acclaimed analysis of the Gulf War and Cobra II, The Inside story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq. He continues to write on military topics for The New York Times, The Boston Globe and professional journals.

LtGen Trainor and his wife Peggy reside in Potomac Falls, VA. They have four daughters, Kathleen, Theresa, Eileen and Claire.