COL (Ret.) Larry Arnett Colonel Arnett received a commission as an infantry officer in 1969 and served on active duty in the U.S. Army until 1973. His assignments during this period included platoon leader, company commander, and helicopter pilot. Assigned to the 23rd Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1970, his distinguished service included roles as an aircraft commander, flight leader, air-mission commander and instructor pilot.
In 1973, he joined the Kentucky Army National Guard where he became one of the youngest officers to command at battalion and brigade level. During the Persian Gulf War, over 500 troops assigned to his command were successfully mobilized and performed exceptional service.
His awards include the bronze star, meritorious service medal w/ oak leaf cluster, air medal w/ 33 awards, army commendation medal w/ oak leaf cluster and numerous other decorations.
Colonel Arnett earned a Bachelor of Science degree from eastern Kentucky University in 1969 and a Master Of Public Administration from Kentucky State University in 1979. In 1998 he completed a course of education to become a Kentucky Certified Public Manager.
Colonel Arnett retired from a distinguished public service career with 27 years in Kentucky state government. His past service includes roles as state director Of Veterans Affairs, director of Air Transportation and executive director of the Office Of Kentucky Veteran Centers, Department Of Veterans Affairs. He directed the operation of the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center, a 300-bed long-term care facility serving our state's elderly veterans and was involved with the construction of two additional 120-bed nursing homes in eastern and western Kentucky.
Active in civic organizations, Mr. Arnett has served on the board of directors for the Frankfort Area Chamber Of Commerce and as chairman of the Franklin County Ethics Commission.
Colonel Arnett was selected in 1997 as the outstanding alumnus for the Department Of Military Science at Eastern Kentucky University. He is a military historian and the published author of a book on Kentucky military history entitled Call To Arms and is currently researching and writing a book about Kentucky recipients of the Medal of Honor.
He is married to Mary (Hensley) Arnett, a retired teacher. They have two children, Jeff who is a first lieutenant and works full-time for the Kentucky Army National Guard and Heather who works in medical research at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Resume of Service Career
LARRY L. ARNETT, COLONEL (Retired)
YEARS OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE 30 years
SOURCE AND DATE OF COMMISSION ROTC (Eastern Kentucky University),
1 Jun 69
PRESENT ASSIGNMENT Retired
MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
Infantry School Basic and Advanced Courses
U.S. Army Primary and Advanced Helicopter School
USARV Instructor Pilot Course
Standard Instrument Qualification Course
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Battalion Pre-Command Course
Brigade Commander Pre-Command Course
Air Assault School
MOS QUALIFICATIONS
11C00
01A00
1981
EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
1969 Eastern Kentucky University-BS Degree-Education w/Teaching Certification
1979 Kentucky State University-MPA-Public Administration
1998 Kentucky Governmental Services Center-KCPM-Certified Public Manager
PROMOTIONS DATES OF APPOINTMENT
Rank Component Date
2LT USAR 01 Jun 69
2LT AUS 24 Oct 69
1LT AUS 24 Oct 70
1LT USAR 04 Jun 71
CPT AUS 11 Jun 73
CPT USAR 07 Oct 73
CPT ARNGUS 28 Nov 73
MAJ ARNGUS 14 May 81
LTC ARNGUS 06 Nov 87
COL ARNGUS 25 Jun 91
MAJOR DUTY ASSIGNMENTS
FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
USAR-Not on Active Duty
Jun 69 Oct 69 Control Group (Reinforcement)
Active Duty
Oct 69 Feb 70 Student, Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia
Feb 70 Jun 70 Student, Primary Rotary Wing Flight School, Fort Walters, Texas
Jun 70 Oct 70 Student, Advanced Rotary Wing Flight School, Fort Rucker, Alabama
Oct 70 Nov 71 Section Leader, 2nd Platoon, 176th Aviation Company, 14th Aviation Battalion, 23rd Infantry Division, USARV
Nov 71 Mar 72 Platoon Leader, Company A, Headquarters Command, Fort Gordon, Georgia
Apr 72 Jul 73 Executive Officer, Company A, Headquarters Command, Fort Gordon, Georgia
Jul 73 Sep 73 Company Commander, Company A, Headquarters Command, Fort Gordon, Georgia
Sep 73 Oct 73 Assistant Adjutant, Headquarters Command, Fort Gordon, Georgia
USAR-Not on Active Duty
Oct 73 Nov 73 Control Group (Reinforcement)
ARNG-Not on Active Duty
Nov 73 Apr 74 Excess Officer, Headquarters, Kentucky Army National Guard, Frankfort, Kentucky
May 74 Apr 75 S-3 Air (Operations), 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry (Mech), Barbourville, Kentucky
Apr 75 Dec 76 S-1, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry (Mech), Barbourville, Kentucky
Dec 76 Oct 80 S-2, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry (Mech), Barbourville, Kentucky
Oct 80 Sep 81 Plans and Operations Officer, Headquarters, Kentucky Army National Guard, Frankfort, Kentucky
Oct 81 Jul 82 S-1, Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 149th Armor Brigade, Louisville, Kentucky
Aug 82 Oct 82 S-2, Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 149th Armor Brigade, Louisville, Kentucky
Nov 82 Aug 83 S-3 (Operations), 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry (Mech), Barbourville, Kentucky
Aug 83 Jul 87 Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry (Mech), Barbourville, Kentucky
Jul 87 Jul 89 Commander, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry (Mech), Barbourville, Kentucky
Aug 89 Aug 91 Commander, Detachment 1 (Troop Command), Kentucky State Area Command, Frankfort, Kentucky
Aug 91 Jun 92 Director of Logistics, Kentucky State Area Command, Frankfort, Kentucky
Jun 92 Jun 99 Unassigned
US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Medal (with 33 awards)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with bronze service star)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass)
Army Service Ribbon
Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross With Palm Unit Citation
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (with 60 device)
Republic of Vietnam Service Medal (with 2 bronze service stars)
Army Aviator Badge
Air Assault Badge
Two Overseas Bars
KENTUCKY DECORATIONS AND AWARDS
Kentucky Merit Ribbon (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
Kentucky Commendation Ribbon
Kentucky Service Ribbon (with Silver Oak Leaf)
Kentucky Twenty Year Faithful Service Plaque
[Information submitted by 1LT Jeff Arnett 22 December 2003]