Forest registered for the draft on 30 June 1942; he was listed as 5' 6" tall, with blue eyes and brown hair. He weighed 115 pounds and had a light complexion.

On 14 November 1942 he entered the service as a private in the Air Corps from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He had three years of high school education, was single, without dependents and his civilian occupation was listed as: "Electricians".

In June 1946, he married Doris Charlene Templin in Indiana.

He was listed as a member of the 437th TCG Association on their 1952 and 1972 rosters.