I have known him for several years and can attest of his tremendous civic and patriotic duties since retirement from an illustrious and remarkable United States military career. I first met Lt. General Garner at a St. Cloud Florida Veteran’s Day Tribute Dinner several years ago. At the dinner, he delivered a great speech on the importance of patriotism, leadership and civic duty. Since that time, I have come to learn of his remarkable record of Florida civic involvement.

Besides delivering many patriotic presentations to groups around the Nation and Florida for years, Lt. General Garner has also donated of his time and resources to very worthwhile civic causes in the Windermere, Florida area. I was most impressed by his leadership role in Mathew’s Hope Ministries. This organization does tremendous and worthwhile work to assist those on the edge of homelessness and they also teach job/life skills Lt. General Garner has been playing a leadership role in Mathew’s Hope Ministries for 13 years! He also has made time to work for Home At Last an organization dedicated to providing homes for disabled US Veterans. I stand amazed at his selfless acts on behalf of community organizations and his passion for helping Veterans!
Mike La Rosa State Representative District 42
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He has also served on many boards and commissions including: 

• 1998-99 -Army Science Board, Washington, D.C.
• 2000-01-Congressional Commission to Assess National Security Space Management and Organization
• 2000-04 – Manufacturing and Materiel Board, Penn State University
• 2002-03 – USSTRATCOM Strategic Advisory Board, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• 2004-07 -Orlando Health Advisory Board, Orlando, Florida
• 2004-12-Forbes Manhattan Advisory Board, Toronto, Canada
• 2004-10 -Digital Fusion Corporation Advisory Board, Huntsville, Alabama
• 2007-18-Sigma Tech Corporation Advisory Board, Huntsville, Alabama
• 2007-Present -Matthew’s Hope Ministries, Inc., Board of Directors, Winter Garden, Florida
• 2008-18-Saab Corporation (Sweden) Advisory Board, Washington, D.C.
• 2012-17-Elbit Systems of America (Israel) Advisory Board, Ft. Worth, Texas

Civilian Education:

• High School Degree, DeSoto County High School, Arcadia, FL – 1956
• B. S. Degree, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL – 1962
• M. S. Degree, Shippensburg University, Carlisle, PA -1983

Military Education:

• Officer Basic Course -1962
• Military Advisor Training Assistance, U.S.A. Special Warfare School – 1966
• Defense Language Institute -1966-67
• Air Defense Artillery Advanced Course -1968-69
• Foreign Service Institute, Department of State o 1970-71
• Basic Airborne Course-1972
• Marine Corps Command and Staff College -1974-75
• United States Army War College – 1982-83
• General Officer Capstone Course -1987

Military Assignments:

• 1962-62 – Platoon Leader, C Battery, 3/7 Artillery
• 1963-64 – Executive Officer, C Battery, 3/7 Artillery
• 1964-65 – Executive Officer, A Battery, 117th FA Artillery
• 1965-66 – Operations Officer, 53rd Artillery Brigade
• 1967-68 – Subsector Advisor, Team 38, Vietnam
• 1968 – Battery Commander, B Battery, 5/7 Artillery
• 1969-70 – Chief Logistics Division, Office of Military Assistance, U.S. Army Southern Command, Canal Zone, Panama
• 1971-72 – District Senior Advisor, Team 36, Vietnam
• 1972-74 – Operations Officer, 1/3 Air Defense Artillery, 101st Airborne Division
• 1975-78 – Staff Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, U.S. Army, Pentagon
• 1978-79 – Battalion Commander, 1st Basic Combat Training Battalion, Ft. Bliss, Texas
• 1979-81 – Battalion Commander 2/59 Air Defense Artillery, 1st Armored Division, Germany
• 1982 – Staff Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Army, Pentagon
• 1983-84 – Staff officer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Army, Pentagon
• 1984-86 – Brigade Commander, 108th Brigade, 32nd Artillery Command, Germany
• 1986-88 – Director, Force Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Army, Pentagon

• 1988-90 – Deputy Commanding General, Ft. Bliss, Texas
• 1990-91 – Deputy Commanding General, V Corps, U.S. Army, Germany
• 1991 – Commanding General, Joint Task Force Bravo, Operation Provide Comfort, Iraq
• 1992-94 – Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Army, Pentagon
• 1994-96 – Commanding General, Space and Missile Defense Command, U.S. Army
• 1996-97 – Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Army

Professional Employment History:

• 1957-58 – U.S. Marine Corps
• 1959-62 – Florida State University (many part-time jobs)
• 1962 – Teacher, 6th Grade, Nocatee, Florida
• 1962-64 – U.S. Army Europe
• 1964-65 – Teacher, 9th Grade Science, Arcadia, Florida
• 1965-97 – U. S. Army
• 1997-2004 – President, SY Technology
• 2004-Present – Joint owner G&H Consultant Services

Boards and Commissions:

• 1998-99 – Army Science Board, Washington, D.C.
• 2000-01 – Congressional Commission to Assess National Security Space

Management and Organization:

• 2000-04 – Manufacturing and Materiel Board, Penn State University
• 2002-03 – USSTRATCOM Strategic Advisory Board, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• 2004-07 – Orlando Health Advisory Board, Orlando, Florida
• 2004-12 – Forbes Manhattan Advisory Board, Toronto, Canada
• 2004-10 – Digital Fusion Corporation Advisory Board, Huntsville, Alabama
• 2007-18 – Sigma Tech Corporation Advisory Board, Huntsville, Alabama
• 2007-Present – Matthew’s Hope Ministries, Inc., Board of Directors, Winter Garden, Florida
• 2008-18 – Saab Corporation (Sweden) Advisory Board, Washington, D.C.
• 2012-17 – Elbit Systems of America (Israel) Advisory Board, Ft. Worth, Texas

U. S. Military Decorations:

• Distinguished Service Medal – 2 Awards
• Defense Superior Service Medal – 2 Awards
• Legion of Merit-5 Awards
• Bronze Star Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal – 2 Awards
• Air Medal
• Joint Services Commendation Medal
• Army Commendation Medal

U.S. Military Ribbons:

• National Defense Service Medal – 2 Awards
• Vietnam Service Medal – 6 Awards
• Southwest Asia Service Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Army Service Ribbon
• Overseas Service Ribbon

Foreign Decorations:

• Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Palm
• Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Gold Star
• Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Silver Star
• Vietnam Honor Medal, 1st Class
• Vietnam Campaign Medal
• French Blue Ribbon, Order of National Merit
• German Badge of Honor

Civilian Decorations:

• Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service

U.S. Military Badges:

• Combat Infantryman Badge
• Parachutist Badge
• Army General Staff Identification Badge

Membership in Veteran’s Organizations:

• Member, Association of U.S. Army, 40+ years
• Member, Patriot Circle, VFW
• Founding Sponsor, Army Historical Foundation
• Honorary Co-Chairman, Central Florida Veterans Memorial

Civic Activities:

• Key to the City, El Paso, Texas, 1990
• Listed as one of the Top 100 Distinguished Graduates of the Past 100 Years of Florida State University
• Named as one of the Outstanding Persons of DeSoto County, Florida during the 20th Century
• Key to the City, Windermere, Florida, 2003
• Friday, July 4, 2003 declared Jay M. Garner Day in the town of Windermere, Florida
• Awarded Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, 2003
• Awarded the Iraq Civilian Commitment Medal, 2011
• Awarded Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) General Conklin Award, 2015
• Awarded Distinguished Service to the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery (Tattoo), 2016

Speeches: Foreign Affairs, Middle East, Military History, Florida History

Prior to 2012:

• U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, PA – 3 speeches
• USMC University, Quantico, VA – 2 speeches
• U.S. Naval War College, Newport Rl
• Windermere, FL – 5 speeches to Rotary, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, Military Memorial
• Oakland, FL – 3 speeches to Home at Last, Memorial Day
• Washington, D.C., Kurdish Institute – 2 speeches
• Dallas, TX, Army Scholarship Foundation
• Chattanooga, TN, Assisted Living Corp.
• California Insurance Association
• College Graduation, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
• High School Graduation, Crenshaw School, Orlando, FL – 2 graduations

2012 Speeches

• Retired Florida Dentists, Winter Park, FL
• Winter Garden Rotary, Winter Garden, FL
• Hearts of Florida, Orlando, FL

2014 Speeches

• Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, FL
• Veterans Memorial Donor Events
• Perot Organization
• DeSoto County, FL Confederate Memorial
• Orange County Area Rotary Clubs (3)
• Defense Industry, Albuquerque, NM
• CASA, Huntsville, AL
• Arcadia Historical Society
• Rotary Poinciana, FL
• Association of United States Army, Washington, D.C.
• New Smyrna Beach Yacht Club, New Smyrna Beach, FL
• YMCA, Dr. Phillips, Orlando, FL

2015 Speeches

• Central Florida Women’s League, Orlando, FL
• Home At Last, West Orange County, FL
• Morgan Stanley, Orlando, FL
• AUSA Conklin Award Dinner, Washington, D.C.
• Boy Scouts of America, Oakland, FL
• Bill Pepper’s Business Group, Orlando, FL
• Special Operations Annual Ball, Tampa, FL
• Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, FL
• Army Scholarship Foundation, Dallas, TX
• Veteran’s Memorial, Orlando, FL
• Veteran’s Day, University Club, Orlando, FL
• Rotary Club, Orlando, FL

2016 Speeches:

• Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, FL
• U.S. Army Civil Affairs Group, Newport, Rl
• Memorial Day, Angel Fire, NM
• National Guard Prayer Breakfast, Daytona Beach, FL
• Thank-A-Thon, Winter Park, FL
• Morgan Stanley, Orlando, FL

2017 Speeches:

• Congressional Assistant for Secretary of the Army, Huntsville, AL
• National Society of Military History, Jacksonville, FL
• ROTC Spring Ball, FSU, Tallahassee, FL
• Windermere Rotary, Windermere, FL
• Kurdish Symposium, Washington D.C.
• Veteran’s Day, Lake Placid, FL

2018 Speeches:

• Sons of the American Revolution, Winter Garden, FL
• Heritage Foundation, Winter Park, FL
• Matthew’s Hope Ministries, Winter Garden, FL

2019 Speeches:

• Medaris Award Ceremony, Huntsville, AL
• Business Executives National Society, Dallas, TX

2020 Speeches:

• Veteran’s Association, St. Luke’s Methodist Church, Orlando, FL