CW3 (R) Gaylin Jesmer, a Delaware native, served the Department of Defense as an Infantry Soldier, a Parachute Rigger, Maintainer, an Inspector, and a Military Test Plans Analyst.

Mr. Jesmer served a distinguished 25-year Army career from 1966 to 1991. He was appointed a Chief Warrant Officer 2 in 1984 after transitioning from being a Sergeant First Class Test NCO with the U.S. Army Airborne Communications and Electronics Board at Fort Bragg. He retired from full-time employment in 2011 after serving 12 years as an Operational Test Officer. His dedicated service to his Nation spanned four and a half decades.Mr. Jesmer planned, executed, and reported on over 23 Operational Tests, involving new equipment for Low Velocity Air Drop (LVAD), Container Delivery System (CDS), Low Velocity Low-Cost Parachute System, and the Joint Precision Air Drop System (JPADS), leaving a lasting impression on the airborne community and materially changing the capability of airborne forces.

One of his most significant contributions to ABNSOTD was serving as the JPADS 2K Test Officer. For years, the Army needed a precision high-altitude resupply capability. However, at the end of Developmental Testing, the program failed to meet exit criteria. Mr. Jesmer suggested the program be divided into two tests that would be evaluated separately. As a result, the program met the requirements and became the Army's first high-altitude resupply system program.

The testing community regards Mr. Jesmer as the subject matter expert on the capabilities and operation of JPADS in both its 2,000- and 10,000-pound configurations.  

Mr. Jesmer established the first Parachute Maintenance Facility while serving as the Fabric Worker Leader at the Special Warfare Center (SWC), Fort Bragg, where over 600 MC4 military free-fall parachutes were repaired while supporting the SWC military free-fall course over a six-year period.

Mr. Jesmer's ability to build a test team was crucial to the success of over 70 LVAD loads, 100 CDS loads, 112 JPADS loads, and 80 Low-Cost Low Altitude loads.  

During his career, Mr. Jesmer tested every critical aspect of every airborne system. He performed hazardous duty as a static line test parachutist for an additional six years after military retirement, conducting over 650 static line jumps, personally adding his expertise to mitigate risk. His extensive airborne operational field experience was the bedrock of newly developed airborne procedures for inclusion in Army Field and Training Manuals. As a test officer, he was intently focused on safety; minimizing the risk for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who would later use the equipment he tested.  

Mr. Jesmer has been recognized and awarded by 10 Test Directorate and Operational Test Command Directors and General Officers for his tireless efforts and outstanding products. His accomplishments improving and perfecting the technical aspects of air drop operations over the past 44 years continue to be recognized by general officers.