Peter Bayer, a retired United States Army Major General and former Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy on the Army staff at the Pentagon, will give the Founder’s Day Address at MMI Preparatory School’s commencement ceremony on May 25.
Bayer, a 1980 MMI graduate, is the Area Vice President, Northeast for Penske Logistics where he leads a team of more than 1,900 associates providing world class transportation and warehouse management logistics support to 37 diverse customers nationwide.
Prior to joining Penske, he proudly served for over 29 years as a soldier in the United States Army in a variety of command and staff positions in the United States, Germany and the Middle East. He has extensive leadership experience at the tactical, operational and strategic levels and spent the majority of his career in operations and training with duty in multiple armor and cavalry units, including four post-9/11 operational and combat tours in Kuwait and Iraq.
In addition to his work at the Pentagon as a Major General, Bayer served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Policy, Headquarters Supreme Allied Command Transformation, NATO.
In April of 2012, Bayer returned to MMI to speak to upper school students about his time as a soldier, the concept of service and his experiences as an MMI student. During his address about his experiences and how MMI prepared him for life, Bayer said, “My MMI experience provided me with an outstanding education as well the opportunity to grow as a young leader through athletics and numerous student-led activities. I was surrounded by a talented and devoted faculty who mentored and challenged me and provided living examples of what right looked like through their hard work, character, values, professional passion and a commitment to serve their community. My MMI experience was instrumental in shaping me into the man I am today.”
Bayer is a 1984 graduate of Lehigh University with a B.S. in Marketing. After graduating, he was commissioned a Lieutenant of Armor in 1984. His staff assignments included Observer Controller on the Armor (Cobra) Task Force Training Team at the National Training Center; 1st Brigade 1st Cavalry Division S3 and 1st Cavalry Division Deputy G3 at Ft. Hood; Plans Officer for the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies; 3rd Infantry Division G3 during Operation Iraqi Freedom; Chief of Staff Multi-National Force Northwest during Operation Iraqi Freedom; Executive Officer to the Commanding General TRADOC; Deputy Commanding General and Assistant Commandant of the U.S. Army Armor Center and Ft. Knox; Chief of Staff I Corps and Ft. Lewis and Chief of Staff Multi-National Corps Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff G3/5/7, Headquarters Department of the Army.
Bayer commanded C Company and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor in Kitzingen, Germany; 2nd Battalion 69th Armor at Ft. Benning and in Kuwait as well as the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Irwin and in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic Course, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, The Canadian Land Forces Staff Course, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Meritorious Service Medal.
In 2004, Bayer earned a Master’s degree in Security Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He and his wife, Lhoryn, have two adult children, Katie and Ross, and currently reside in Lancaster.
Leave a Reply