J. L. Wymer provides a personal look at the U.S. Army and its test operations from the 1950s to the 21st century in an isolated location in the Arizona desert. 50 Years at Yuma: A History of Military Testing and Civilian Bureaucracy chronicles the actual development and testing of military material from the very crude methods of the 1950s to today’s technology. The various stories give the flavor of how the workforce of earlier eras worked and lived in a situation ungoverned by today’s rules of society. The stories include a close look at the way life was conducted in what was, essentially, a Wild West setting. This book brings a personal look at the development of the civilian bureaucracy in the Department of Defense. About the Author J. L. Wymer arrived at Yuma Test Station, Arizona, in September of 1956 after Basic Training and a brief assignment at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. He worked his way up the command chain over 53 years with a final assignment as Technical Director, the senior civilian at the Yuma Proving Ground.