Merritt was born in
Lawton, Oklahoma and entered the Army as a private in 1952 at the height of the
Korean War and over the next thirty-five years rose to 4-star rank. From battery command in Korea to the
1st Cavalry Division Artillery at
Fort Hood, Texas, he commanded at every level in the Field Artillery. His final assignment was as United States Military Representative to the
NATO Military Committee from 1985 to 1987. Merritt was the Honor Graduate of his
Officer Candidate School class in 1953. He later earned a Bachelor of General Education degree in military science from the
University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Master of Science degree in business administration from
George Washington University. Merritt was also top graduate of his Artillery Advance Course, Distinguished Graduate of the
Air Command and Staff College and Distinguished Graduate of the
Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Moreover, his career touched the entire Army school system. In 1977 he served on the general officer study group that reviewed the West Point honor code and he commanded the
Artillery Center and School (1977–80), the
Army War College (1980–82) and the
Combined Arms Center including the
Command and General Staff College (1983). He also served on the
National Security Council staff and had additional assignments on Joint Staff and was the U.S. Military Representative to the
NATO Military Committee. His decorations include the
Defense Distinguished Service Medal (one oak leaf cluster),
Army Distinguished Service Medal (one oak leaf cluster),
Silver Star and
Legion of Merit (one oak leaf cluster). •
Defense Distinguished Service Medal •
Army Distinguished Service Medal •
Silver Star •
Legion of Merit •
Distinguished Flying Cross •
Soldier's Medal •
Bronze Star with V Device and two oak leaf clusters •
Air Medal •
Joint Service Commendation Medal •
Army Commendation Ribbon •
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with V Device ==Post military career==