Past Professors/Faculty of Military Science

Colonel Bartley E. Day was born in Fairview, Utah in 1923. His first exposure to military life was in the Junior ROTC at South High School, Salt Lake City, where during his Senior year he was the Battalion Commander of the South Battalion. At the end of the year, he was chosen to command the Salt Lake City High Schools Regiment and was appointed Cadet Colonel. He attended the University of Utah for two years and participated in ROTC there prior to enlisting in the Army in 1942. He won one of 52 Army at Large appointments to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point graduating therefrom in 1949 as Second Lieutenant, Field Artillery.

He attended the Ground General School, Fort Riley, Kansas; The Air Defense School at Fort Bliss, Texas; and the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma Prior to joining the 517th Armored Field Artillery Battalion in Germany in 1950. He commanded a Field Artillery Battery prior to returning to the United States in 1954 moving thence to his first duty with ROTC as an Assistant PMS at Colorado State University. In 1957, he moved to Thule, Greenland where he commanded Battery B, 548th Air Defense Artillery. Returning to Fort Sill again in 1958, he was first an instructor in Field Artillery Gunnery and then the Chief of the Rocket and Missile Research Branch of the Research Division at the School. In 1961-62, he attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In 1962, he assumed new duties at the newly formed U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland and for the first year activating and settling the new headquarters prior to assuming duties in the Field Artillery Research Division. Following a Student Officer Tour at the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, he was assigned to the G3 Division, Central Army Group (NATO) in Germany, working with officers of many other nations during that three years. During this period, he also attended the NATO Combined Operations School at Old Sarum, England and also earned his Masters Degree in International Relations from Boston University attending at Heidelberg, Germany. In 1967, he returned to Fort Sill again to command the 3rd Battalion, 30th Field Artillery for 18 months and then to serve as Deputy Commander 214th Field Artillery Group. In 1969, he joined the Joint Military Assistant Advisor Group, Korea as Secretary of the Joint Staff. Upon return to the United States, he was promoted to Colonel in August 1970 and assumed his duties as Chief, Plans, Programs and Operations Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, First Army Headquarters, Fort Mead, Maryland.

Colonel Day was appointed as the Professor of Military Science at Brigham Young University on 1 July 1972, where he served for five years and then retired from the military to serve for 11 more years at BYU as Assistant Dean of Student Life and Career Education Counselor. While serving in this position he received his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration. He served in several callings in the LDS Church. In addition to serving numerous times in his favorite calling as a teacher, he was a Bishop, Branch President, or counselor (17 times); called to the Stake Presidency, Mission Presidency, and High Council. He was active in his community as well, serving as President, Vice President and Secretary for Kiwanis International; and district chairman for the Republican Party.

Colonel Day was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with two Oakleaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal for his exceptional performance of duty in addition to several other service awards.
At the age of 71 (October 4, 1994), while living in Orem, Utah, Colonel Day progressed beyond this life after a long struggle with diabetes. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Irene, and three daughters, Victoria Hamilton, Janice Wright, and Dean Day. He was preceded in death by a son, Carl and a daughter Valerie.