BARNEY FREDERICK SLAYTON
4-3-1944-1-24-2017
Lieutenant Colonel Barney F. Slayton, U.S Army, Retired died on January 24th 2017 at the age of 72. Born an “Army brat”, he spent his early years in Michigan, Germany, Wisconsin, and the Territory of Hawaii where he earned Eagle Scout. He eventually savored residence in Texas six times.
He was recognized as a Distinguished Military Graduate and commissioned a Regular Army officer at Sam Houston State College in August, 1967. As a cadet he had been a leader in the Counterguerilla Company which was personally conceived and founded by his long-time mentor, Lieutenant Colonel John Sanford McCord, USA, Ret. Decades later, McCord’s personal creation became a champion, recognized military competition unit called Ranger Challenge.
He served on Active Duty for 22 years. His last assignment was the Professor of Military Science at the University of Houston (1989).
As an infantry officer in the 82d Airborne Division, his battlefield performance was recognized with the Bronze Star with “V” device (heroism in combat) with two Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC), the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. His other non-combat “glad rags” included the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three OLC, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with OLC, and the Army Commendation Medal, first OLC. His military qualification badges included: Combat Infantryman, Ranger tab, novice parachutist, and Jungle Expert. He wore “travel rags” for service in Vietnam, Panama, and Korea.
He continued academic pursuits. He was board selected and completed the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in residence in 1979. He earned a Master of Arts in Russian and Middle East History (Honors) at the University of Kansas in 1980. He later earned a Master of Science degree in Instructional Technology at the prestigious Rochester Institute of Technology in 2003. His scholarly article “War in the Ether: Soviet Radio-Electronic Warfare” appeared in 3 professional journals in 1980.
As a civilian he was employed for 19 years as a corporate training manager, training developer and trainer. He worked on 3 continents in the industrial construction, manufacturing, and oil/gas industries. He earned 8 professional certifications as well as designation as a “master trainer” by 2 external audit organizations. He was publicly and formally recognized by plaques and certificate from IDS American Express, the H.B. Zachry Company, the National Center for Construction and Research (NCCER), and the Louisville Metro United Way.
He was a member of numerous organizations. He was a Life Member of the Military Officers Associa- tion of America. He was a past member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the American Society for Training and Development, Phi Alpha Theta (national scholarship fraternity for History), and the National Military Honor Society of Scabbard and Blade, among several others.
In his last years he savored training ROTC cadets as a guest speaker at Sam Houston State University. He authored three classes and presented them numerous times. They were: “Three Hallowed Words: General MacArthur’s Speech at West Point”, “Starting and Sustaining Your Professional Careers”, and “Preparing for Your Careers: Setting Your Azimuth”.
For several years he attended U.S. Army Officer Commissioning Ceremonies at SHSU and personally gifted each newly commissioned Second Lieutenant a complete copy of the U.S. Constitution to which they had just sworn allegiance.
He established three endowed scholarships that he personally funded. One of them commemorates the military service of his grandfather and father also an Army brat. A second commemorates his own. These scholarships are only for US Army ROTC cadets at Sam Houston State University. The remaining endowed scholarship commemorates his deceased previous spouse, Marie Anne Todaro. That scholarship is at the University of Houston, Bauer College of Business and is for nurturing the future business leaders of Houston. (For donations call SHSU: 936 294 3625; or UH: 713 743 4470.)
He was survived by his gentle loving wife, Tanya, who patiently tended him through numerous, lengthy, gruesome medical treatments.
His cremated remains will be interred at the Houston National Cemetery.
Barney wished no memorial service. He slipped away into a chill purple predawn mist, having been assigned another patrol elsewhere.