Thomas Milton Bryant – Colonel, United States Army

 From a contemporary press report:

Thoams Milton Bryant, 62, a retired Army Colonel, died of complications from Scleroderma, November 18, 2003 at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia.

Colonel Bryant was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 12, 1941 to the late Thomas and Mabel Bryant. He graduated from Dunbar High School in Baltimore, Maryland. He then attended Morgan State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics (1963). Shortly there after he received a Master’s in Computer Science from Kansas State University (1976), and then graduated from the Command General Staff College and the Army War College.

During his 30 years with the United States Army, Colonel Bryant, a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, held various command and staff positions, including Company Commander in Vietnam, Assistant Professor of Military Science at Michigan State University, Staff Officer for The Joint Chief of Staff, Battalion Commander and Group Commander in Germany and Inspector General at the Pentagon. He retired with the rank of Colonel in July 1993.

Colonel Bryant, a member of the Board of Military Science Foundation at Morgan State University, was the recipient of many awards and honors including The Legion of Merit Medal, The Defense Meritorious Service Medal, The Bronze Star, and the Meritorious Service Medal.

In 1994 after retiring, Colonel Bryant worked as Director of Operations with Automation Research Systems in Alexandria, Virginia. Later in 1997, he was named Director of Planning, Management and Evaluation for the Library of Congress where he assumed responsibility for the regular review and implementation of the Library’s program and budget.

Survivors include his wife of 39 years Sandra Bryant of Centreville, Virginia; two children Darren Bryant of Haymarket, Virginia, Leslie Glover of Chester, Virignia; two grandchildren Douglas Glover Jr. and Jordan Marie Glover; three sisters Evelyn Johnson of Baltimore, Maryland, Doris Manyeto of Los Angeles, California, Helen Brown of Fort Washington, Maryland, one son-in-law Douglas Glover, one daughter-in-law Karen Bryant, three brothers-in-law, and a host of relatives and friends.

The family will receive friends at DEMAINE FUNERAL HOME, 520 S. Washington Street, Alexandria on Sunday, November 23, from 4 to 9 p.m. and on Monday, November 24, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friends may call at DEMAINE FUNERAL HOME on Monday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, November 25, 2003 at the Fort Myer Memorial Chapel at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

Donations may be made in the name of Colonel Thomas (Bugs) Bryant, Bear Battalion ROTC-Military Science Fund, Morgan State University Foundation Inc., 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, Maryland 21251.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard