Colonel Gary D. Jackson was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 01-56, 16 August 1956. His first duty assignment was as a Platoon Leader, Company B, 148th Armored Infantry Battalion, 49th Armored Division. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Commander, 95th Maneuver Training Command (MTC), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Division Chief, Bravo Division (Engineers), MTC, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Commander, 4th Brigade (On Site Unit Training), 95th Division (Training), Bossier, Louisiana; Commander, 417th Military Intelligence Detachment (Strategic), Dallas, Texas; Legal Officer/Staff Judge Advocate, 362d Civil Affairs Brigade, Dallas Texas; S-3 (Air), HHC, 2nd Bn, 359th Infantry, 90th Infantry Division, Tyler, Texas; Rifle Platoon Leader Co. C, 1st Bde, 358th Infantry, 90th Infantry Division, Tyler, Texas; Mortar Platoon Leader, Combat Support Co., 2nd Bde, 143d Infantry, 36th Inf Div, Waco, Texas; Armored Infantry Unit Commander, Co C, 3d ARB/144th Infantry, Co D, 3d ARB/144th CAR and Co B, 148th Armed Infantry Bn, 49th Armored Div, Mineola, Texas; Enlisted Ranks of Private through Sergeant, CO B, 148th Infantry Battalion, 49th Armored Division, 1 Oct 1953-26 Oct 1956, Mineola, Texas. | Special military assignments include:Adjunct Faculty Member, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Member, U.S. Army Reserve Components Colonel, Army Promotion List and Chaplains, Selection Board Reserve Components Personnel Administration Center (RCPAC), St. Louis, Missouri; Certified Trial Counsel, The Judge Advocate General Corps, Washington, D.C.; Member, Senior Service Colleges Selection Board, Reserve Components, RCPAC, St. Louis, Missouri; Member, Fifth U.S. Army Unit Vacancy Promotion Board, Reserve Components, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. | Colonel Jackson's military education and training include: Officer Candidate School, U.S. Army Infantry School; Basic Infantry Officer Course; Advanced Infantry Officer Course; Judge Advocate General Officer Career Course at the U.S. Army JAGC School, Virginia; Reserve Component General Staff Course; U.S. Army JAGC School, Fort Ritchie, Maryland; The JAGC School, Charlottesville, Virginia; Military Justice Course; Military Intelligence Officer Branch Qualification (Advanced), Fort Huachuca, Arizona; U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania; The National Defense University, Defense Strategy Course, Fort McNair, D.C.; River Crossing Course, Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Engineers in Offense, Engineer School, Fort Belvior, Virginia; Commander Course, Bn Tng Mgmt System, Readiness Reg., ARMR VII, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Soviet Doctrine and Tactics, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Drug Enforcement Administration Special Instruction, CAP Texas Wing Headquarters, Waco, Texas; Basic Introduction to Incident Command System, I-100, Civil Air Patrol, Tyler, Texas; General Emergency Services, CAPT 116, Tyler CAP, Tyler, Texas. | His awards and decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal w/ Bronze Star, Army Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Texas Faithful Service Medal. | Colonel Jackson held following military ranks: Colonel, Military Intelligence, 15 Dec 1976; Lieutenant Colonel, Judge Advocate General Corps23 Mar 1973; Major, Judge Advocate General Corps30 Sep 1968; Captain, Infantry, 25 Oct 1963; 1st Lieutenant, Infantry, 26 Oct 1959; 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry, 27 Oct 1956; Private through Sergeant, Infantry, 1953 – 1956; On the dates shown, he was awarded the following Military Occupation Specialties:; 13X00, Artillery Unit Commander, 07 May 1984; 21E00, Engineer, 28 Oct 1982; 11X00, Infantry Unit Commander, 01 Dec 1979; 35B00, Strategic Intelligence Officer, 23 Sep 1976; 55A00 , Judge Advocate, 23 Sep 1976; 55C00, Patent Lawyer, 23 Sep 1976; 08103 , Staff Judge Advocate, 23 Jul 1974; K8101, Legal Officer, 11 May 1966; 52163, S – 3 Air, 15 Mar 1963; 01542, Infantry Platoon Leader, 06 Feb 1962; 01543, Mortar Platoon Leader, 01 Jun 1958; 01560, Armored Infantry Unit Commander, 27 Oct 1956. | Colonel Jackson held memberships in the following military organizations: Civil Affairs Association, Reserve Officers Association, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma (life member), Association of the United States Army, Military Order of the World Wars, U.S. Army War College Alumni Association, Senior Army Reserve Commanders Association, Military Government Association, American Legion, Post 296, Mineola, Texas. | Colonel Jackson served in the Civil Air Patrol beginning in 1994 after he retired. He was commissioned a Lieutenant Colonel, Civil Air Patrol, USAir Force Auxiliary, and assigned as Finance Officer and as Legal Officer, Group 7, Texas Wing, Pounds Field, Tyler, Texas; During 2003-2004, he served as Commander, East Texas Chapter, Military Order of the World Wars, Tyler, Texas. | At the time of his induction, he was serving as an Attorney At Law, Jackson Law Offices, P.C, Lindale, Texas, as an Adjutant Faculty Member (1979 to present) U.S. Command And Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and as a Civil Air Patrol Officer in Tyler, Texas. | After 33 years and 9 months of service, Colnel Jackson was transferred to the Retired Reserve on 1 July 1987.