Lieutenant General Byrnes assumed duties as Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs on 1 December 2000 after serving as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, United States Army since 1 November 1999. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant through the Officer Candidate School program in 1969. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Park College in 1975 and a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University in 1985. | Prior to assuming duties as the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, he served as the Commanding General, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He simultaneously served as the Commanding General of the Multinational Division (North) in Tuzla, Bosnia for Stabilization Forces Four and Five from October 1998 to August 1999. Other key assignments include Director, Force Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Washington, D.C.; Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), 1sat Cavalry Division; Commander, Joint Task Force Six, Fort Bliss, Texas; Chief of staff, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; Commander, 1st Cavalry Division Artillery, Fort Hood, Texas; Director of Political and economic Studies and Director of the Strategic Outreach Initiative for the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. Additionally, General Byrnes commanded the 4th Battalion, 3d Field Artillery in 2d Armored Division (Forward) in Germany and was a Battery Commander in the 1st Battalion, 39th Field Artillery, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Overseas assignments include Vietnam, Germany and Bosnia.