Lyle attended Iowa State College in the fall of 1954. At Iowa State at that time ROTC was required for all male students for the first two years so he elected to enroll in the Army ROTC program. Then after those first two years you could elect to pursue ROTC Junior and Senior years. After completion of the four years, you were then commissioned with the rank of Second Lieutenant. By so doing you were then making a commitment of 2 years in the Regular Army with 5 years of reserve training once you fulfilled your two-years Active Duty.

Since Darlene Mote (his future wife) was one year behind Lyle, he was able to enlist for a one-year Reserve Training in a unit in Ames, Iowa. That worked out great for the couple as they were married in Evanston, Illinois, (Darlene's home town) on September 5, 1959. They spent their honeymoon in Colorado Springs, Colorado. From there Lyle had to fulfil nine weeks of Artillery Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After that training he was stationed at Fort Carson, ironically right outside of Colorado Springs. Fort Carson was essentially Lyle's home base then for the balance of the two active years. He was assigned to a Missile Company for that period of time. He was directed by the Post Commander to coach and play on the Fort Carson Post Basketball Team, during the winter months. The members on that team were assigned Special Duty for around four months for the sole purpose of managing the basketball team. Lyle performed those duties for the winter months during his two year's of Active Duty.

After his two-year stint, Lyle and Darlene moved back to Ames, where he completed his Masters Degree.

Lyle then had a second year of reserve training. After that one year, they moved to the Chicago area where he took a position to coach basketball and tennis at Deerfield High School, just north of Chicago. The Army technically dismissed Lyle's last three years of Reserve Training as there wasn't a unit close to where he was employed.