Meet Garry Patterson
With 30 years of Army service followed by a successful consultancy in the private sector, retired colonel Garry Patterson connects easily with his students enrolled in UT’s project management training at Camp Mabry. His personal commitment to "his soldiers" keeps them engaged, motivated and accountable. More than 800 students have completed his sessions with a better than 95% first-time passing rate for those who went on to take the rigorous Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification exam.
A career military officer, senior program manager and small business owner, Patterson has a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of North Texas and an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University. He holds advanced degrees from the United States Army War College and United States Army Logistics Management College.
"I served for 30 years and moved to a senior rank in the Army. In the business world, I had a career at the senior level in project management, in building missile components, but also in developing software and doing research. As a result, I can translate the Army's language, in ways solders are very familiar with, into project management language and concepts. "
Translating Military Speak
Whether active duty or on reserve duty, soldiers enter his class with service experience and considerable talent, Patterson says. "We're really fortunate for high quality students. We’ve had ranks from sergeant to colonel to even a brigadier general." Some guard members may already be working as project managers in their civilian roles.
"Our program is focused on preparation and using the skills sets that they already have. I teach them the logic behind how they make a decision."
In project management, that might be managing a schedule or scope or budget while ensuring quality control or analyzing risk – skill sets already acquired in the military.
Patterson excels in translating military terminology into PMP® requirements. For example:
- Military. An operations order may include a military mission decision-making process, with wargames and mission analysis.
- Civilian. A project charter may be based on multi-criteria decision making, weighted scoring and analysis of business criteria.
Patterson built a 250-page workbook breaking down terminology and definitions by chapter, lessons his students affectionately call "Garry-isms".
Beyond the Classroom
Patterson considers it an honor and a privilege to work with soldiers and to help them advance. After 15 class sessions over eight weeks, he still keeps in touch with many as they navigate the testing phase.
"I don’t let my students go. I’ll review their (test) applications and study plans. It doesn't stop with instruction. There’s accountability and if you’re not ready, I'll let you know your weaknesses and what you need to keep studying. It’s really cool when I get a text on exam day: 'Garry, I passed!'"
Lifelong Commitment to Military Excellence
Patterson is a lifelong soldier with deep military ties. Not only does he trace his family history to his seventh great-grandfather who served in the Revolutionary War, but he takes pride in his sons and grandson continuing the tradition of service. Teaching today's soldiers is his way to support and encourage future generations.
"The military is close and dear to our hearts. We know the sacrifices that families and soldiers go through. I enjoy teaching the soldiers. It’s very rewarding to give back, to be connected."
Providing Targeted Curriculum
Patterson is certified by the Project Management Institute (PMI)® as an Authorized Training Partner instructor. He has been teaching the course at Camp Mabry since 2020. He follows a curriculum he developed specifically for soldiers at UT’s request. He began teaching project management in 2015 and taught his 37th session in 2023.
“It’s rewarding that I can help. It encourages them. It shows that the Army cares about them while they're away from family. It gives them things to study and keeps them active when they have some downtime.”
Flexibility Around Life’s Interruptions
While primarily taught in person, Patterson’s course also accommodates online participants from as far away as New York. Plus, he records every session for those students with unexpected scheduling conflicts.
"There are some real heroes out there making big sacrifices. I've had soldiers in this class that are actually detailed on the border, Texas and Mexico. Their commanding officers have allowed them to take this class online. At the end of the day, they go back to the Wi-Fi at their hotel and take the class while they're deployed."
Learn More about Military Credentialing Programs
Learn more about Patterson's work teaching project management in our case study about the program at Camp Mabry. You can also explore upcoming certificate programs for service members on the Center for Professional Education website.
