Rear Adm. (select) Gard earned a Bachelor of Arts from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisc., with a major in History. In 1984, he earned a Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind. Following this, he earned a Master of Arts (1988) and a Doctor of Philosophy (1992) in Hebrew Bible/Judaica with minors in New Testament/Early Church and Liturgical Theology from the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind.

Following ordination, he served as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church (Woodland), Mishawaka, Ind., from 1984 to 1989. In 1989, he was called to the faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, where he still serves. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he has served as supervisor of the Doctor of Ministry Program; dean of Students; vice-president of Student and Family Services; dean of Assessment; dean of Distance Education, Accreditation Self-Study Coordinator; and, dean of Graduate Studies. Currently, he is professor of Exegetical Theology and dean of the Military Chaplaincy. He serves, or has served, on several boards and commissions of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and is the author of several books and articles, both scholarly and popular. In 2008, he was awarded the Saint Martin of Tours Award by the Board for Mission Services of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Commissioned as a lieutenant (junior grade) in the Navy Reserve in 1988, Gard has served in several billets. His initial assignment was to Navy Reserve (NR) Surface Force Atlantic REL 1359A (1988-1992) with duty on Destroyer Squadron 8 and the USS Yellowstone (AD 41). He has, subsequently, been assigned to Naval Station-Adak, Alaska (1992-1993); Assistant Group Chaplain Marine Wing Service Group 47 (1993-1995); Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 26 (1995-1998); Naval Air Station-Sigonella, Sicily (1998-2001); deputy force chaplain/deputy director of Operational Ministry, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, Va. (2001-2004) and deputy force chaplain, Marine Forces Reserve Headquarters, New Orleans (2004-2008); officer in charge, MEFREL 106 in support of Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., (2008-2009) and as deputy regional chaplain, Navy Region Midwest (2009-2012). He currently serves as joint task force (JTF) chaplain, Joint Task Force-Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Gard has additionally served as officer in charge of the Chaplain Candidate Program; at PERS-94, Washington, D.C.; instructor at the Naval Chaplains School, Newport, R.I.; 9/11 Pentagon recovery operations, Washington, D.C.; deputy director of Chaplains Religious Enrichment Development Organization, Norfolk (OIF I); special project officer, Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk; acting command chaplain, Naval Amphibious Base-Little Creek, Va.; and acting command chaplain, Training Support Center, Hampton Roads, Va. He has also participated in numerous field exercises with Marines and Seabees.

As a mobilized Reservist during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, he helped develop the Navy and Marine Corps Warrior Transition Program and implemented it while deployed to Amphibious Task Force East aboard USS Saipan (LHA 2). From 2007 to 2008, he was mobilized to Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans, where he was responsible for training, readiness and mobilization of 140 Reserve chaplains and the implementation of Combat Operational Stress Control throughout the Reserve of the Marine Corps. In 2012, he was again mobilized to serve as JTF chaplain, Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay. His overseas assignments have included Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Rota, Spain; and Sigonella, Sicily.

Personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 awards). He holds several additional service medals and ribbons.