MG Jerry Max Bunyard
MG Jerry Max Bunyard was born in Altus, Oklahoma, on 3 April 1931. He received a bachelor's degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University and a master's degree in international relations from George Washington University. His military education includes completion of the U.S. Army National War College, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Field Artillery School, and the Infantry School.
General Bunyard entered the Army through the ROTC program at Oklahoma State University and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1954. His subsequent assignments, which provided him with a broad background in weapons system management, development and testing, included tours in the United States, Vietnam, Germany, and Korea.
General Bunyard held a wide variety of important command and staff positions, including Operations Research Analyst, and later coordinator of Army Programs Presentations, Materiel Programs Directorate, Office, Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C., from August 1972 to May 1974; Assistant to the Scientific Advisor and later, Chief, Technical Support Division, U.S. Army Operational Test and Evaluation Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, from May 1974 to May 1975; and Commander, Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, from June 1975 to June 1977. For the next 2 years, General Bunyard served as Project Manager, Tactical Fire Direction System/Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems, U.S. Army Communications Research and Development Command, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. In July 1979, he became Deputy Director for Defense Test and Evaluation in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Washington, D.C. He was appointed Project Manager for the PATRIOT Air Defense Missile System at Redstone Arsenal on 10 November 1980. General Bunyard remained in that position until 26 July 1983, when he became the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Missile Command. He served in that capacity until 2 August 1985.
General Bunyard's decorations and badges include the Defense Superior Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross (with Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Bronze Star Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters). He also received the Air Medal with "V" Device, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Master Army Aviator Badge, the General Staff Identification Badge, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.