Major Robert Bruce Jaeger, USAF (Ret.)

Born May, 1944, Robert Bruce Jaeger grew up in Overlea, Maryland where he attended Parkville Sr HS. He was a member of their inaugural lacrosse team. Having never played before, he borrowed his first lacrosse stick from an older cousin who attended Towson HS. The rest is history. He was a leading scorer on both Varsity soccer and lacrosse teams. Bruce went on to Washington College in 1962 where he received a B.S. degree in Chemistry.

While enrolled at WC, Bruce achieved All-American honors in both soccer and lacrosse all four years, reaching 2nd Team All American in lacrosse his Junior year. He was also highlighted in Sports Illustrated article, Faces In The Crowd, in 1966, noted as a leading scorer in US Men's Lacrosse, and receiving a Sports Illustrated Award of Merit trophy. He received Most Valuable Player Awards from 1963-66 in both sports. In 1966 he received the Athletic Council Award for Outstanding Senior Athlete. He was selected to the 1966 South lacrosse team and competed in the North-South Lacrosse game where he was the leading scorer with 3 goals and 2 assists. In 2013 Bruce was named to the MAC Century Team as one of the top athletes from its history (1912-1972) Men's Lacrosse.

Bruce Jaeger was a dependable all around attack performer and the leader of the Washington College attack. During Jaeger's last season, the team only lost two games to Navy and Hopkins. They were undefeated in the Strobhar Division.

Shortly after graduating in 1966 he received a draft notice from the US Army that he was going to be inducted into the Army. Having a college degree, Bruce elected to enlist in the USAF while he awaited a date for acceptance into USAF Officer Candidate School at Lackland AFB, Texas. Upon graduating as Second Lieutenant in 1967 he attended military training in Denver, Colorado as a Munitions Officer. He was married shortly thereafter in December and sent to his first assignment at Griffiss AFB in Rome, NY, as a nuclear storage officer. After one year of duty, he was assigned as the Explosives Safety Officer at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Based in Udorn, Thailand in support of the military campaign in Vietnam from 1969-70. He was responsible for investigating all munitions accidents that occurred during that timeframe and reporting results to HQ PCAF. He was also responsible for destroying all damaged or expendable explosive devices. In 1970 he was assigned to the Tactical Fighter Weapons Center at Nellis AFB where he became involved in helping to develop the gun system for the F-15 air superiority fighter jet that was in its early stages of development. While at Nellis AFB, Bruce and wife Sue, were blessed with the birth of their 1st child, Julie Jaeger.

In 1972, Bruce elected to transfer from the USAF to the DC ANG, and moved back to the Baltimore-Washington Area. He maintained his military status as a Maintenance Control Officer, Weapons Maintenance Officer and Explosive Safety Officer while serving in the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing, DCANG. He remained active in the DCANG until his retirement as Major in 1988. During these years he was awarded an Outstanding Unit Citation Award and a Meritorious Service Medal. The citation noted Major Jaeger was able to schedule more training for primary and support missions than any other ANG unit, while upgrading the effectiveness of both the Weapons Branch and Maintenance Control Branch.

From 1972-74 Bruce attended the UMD Animal Science Department and obtained an MS Degree in Animal Physiology. In 1974 Bruce and Sue had their second child, Bart, who later went on to make his own mark at WC as a 1st Team All-American lacrosse player. Both of Bruce's children achieved All-American recognition in lacrosse. Aside from his Military career, Bruce also had a professional career as a Toxicologist in the Office of Pesticide Programs at the US EPA. While there he represented the US on several international scientific committees, including: the WHO Expert Group on Pesticide Residues, the OECD Expert Group in Toxicology, the CODEX Committee on Pesticide Residues. He also was appointed the Designated Federal Official to the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel in EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs and Toxic Substances. He retired from EPA in 1996 and began his own consulting company. During the past 20 years Bruce has consulted PepsiCo, Frito-Lay and Quaker Oats in various food safety programs in pesticide residues. Today, he and his second wife of 23 years, Millie, reside at their home on the South River in Annapolis, MD.