Brigadier General (IA) Lyle D. Bender was commissioned an Artillery Officer upon graduation from the U.S. Army Artillery and Missile School Officer Candidate Class 7-67, 28 February 1967 at Fort Sill Oklahoma. His first duty assignment was as an Assistant Executive Officer (Range Safety Officer) Battery C, 2nd Battalion 31st Artillery, Fort Sill Oklahoma. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer, 283rd Aviation Company, Fort Carson Colorado; Flight Platoon Commander, Company C, 159th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion, 101'1 Airborne Division Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam; Commander, 327th Transportation Detachment, Aircraft Maintenance, 101st Airborne Division, Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam; Service Platoon Commander, 1st Aviation Company, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley Kansas; Assistant Personnel Services Officer, Headquarters U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley Kansas. | Reserve Component assignments subsequent to release from Active Duty in September 1973 include: Service Platoon Commander, 24th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) Nebraska National Guard, Lincoln, Nebraska; Aviation Maintenance Officer, 248th Aviation Battalion, Iowa National Guard, Boone, Iowa; Production Control Officer, 1064th Transportation Company (Aircraft Maintenance) Iowa National Guard, Boone, Iowa;  Commander, 1064th Transportation Company (Aircraft Maintenance) Boone, Iowa; Executive Officer, 248th Aviation Battalion, Iowa National Guard, Boone, Iowa; Commander, 1st Battalion 109th Aviation Battalion (Aircraft Maintenance) Iowa National Guard, Boone, Iowa; Aviation Safety and Standardization Officer, Headquarters Iowa National Guard, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa; Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation and Safety, Headquarters, Iowa National Guard, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa. | General Bender's military education and training include: Basic Combat Training, Artillery Fire Direction Advanced Individual Training, Artillery and Missile Officer Candidate School, Officer Rotary Wing Aviator Course, Aviation Maintenance Officers Course, CH-47 Chinook Helicopter Qualification Course, Artillery Officer Advanced & NBC Weapons Employment Course, Helicopter Test Pilot School, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Helicopter Instructor Pilot School, Fixed Wing Instructor Pilot School, U.S. Army Aviation Safety Officer Course, Personnel Management for Executives Course, Aircraft Crash Survival Investigators Course, Reserve Component National Security Course. His civilian education includes: Bachelors Degree from the University of Nebraska, Omaha; Masters of Business Administration MBA from Iowa State University, Ames Iowa; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial and Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate. | General Bender's awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (8 awards), Army Commendation Ribbon Army Achievement Medal Good Conduct Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon Vietnam Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Iowa Humanitarian Service Ribbon, Iowa Leadership Ribbon Iowa State Service Ribbon. | Additional awards and information of note:Qualified as a Master Army Aviator, rated in Single and Multi-Engine Airplanes and Helicopters with over 6300 flight hours.  Entered initial flight training in 1967 and served continuously on Military Flight Duty Orders until retirement in 2003.  Inducted into the Honorable Order of St. Michael by the Army Aviation Association of America for outstanding contributions to Army Aviation. Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Rotary International, Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, Army Aviation Association of America, Association of the United States Army, National Guard Association of the United States, Iowa National Guard Officers Association, Alumni Association of the University of Nebraska and Iowa State University. | At the time of his induction, General Bender was residing in rural Boone, Iowa.