2025 Bull Simon Award Bucky Burruss

Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Lewis H. Burrus, Jr. distinguished himself during a lifetime of service in the United States Special Operations Forces in a series of significant and dangerous assignments, culminating as the Deputy Commander of a Special Mission Unit, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Spanning a period of 22 years, Lieutenant Colonel Burruss trained, organized, and led numerous combat operations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Grenada. During the Vietnam Conflict, he served two consecutive combat tours totaling 22 months of hazardous duty. Along with serving in the 5 th Special Forces Group, he was assigned to the Special Forces’ B55 Mobile Strike Force (MIKE FORCE), conducting frequent cross border operations and sensitive activities against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army. For his numerous valorous acts and courage under fire, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal, four Bronze Star Medals (one with “V” device), the Air Medal, and three Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry. He commanded airborne and mechanized rifle companies in West Germany during the Cold War and returned to Fort Bragg to train junior Special Forces officers with great success. As a plank holder in the Special Mission Unit, he held positions of increasing responsibility and helped develop tactics, techniques, procedures, and standard operating procedures to make it America’s premier counterterrorism force. He took part in Operation EAGLE CLAW and Operation URGENT FURY, commanding operational elements of the Special Mission Force. Following his retirement, he had several written works published and served as a staffer for the House Armed Services Committee. Lieutenant Colonel Burruss’ unwavering loyalty, devotion to duty, and lifetime of service reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Army, the United States Special Operations Command, and the Department of Defense.