Bud joined JAG Ops as a Lieutenant, j.g. upon the recommendation of Lt. Meg Austin. She requested Bud as her legal aid before she transferred out, so Bud was assigned to Harm's section instead. Bud was on the ROTC Judo team in high school and completed university in San Diego. He joined the Navy and, as an Ensign, was assigned sea duty on the U.S.S. Seahawk. He was the Public Affairs Officer under the command of Captain Ross. During his time on the Seahawk, he served with Harm's former girlfriend, Diane Schonke. Bud attended law school in the evenings at George Mason University. Upon scoring top grades on his law school finals, he was assigned extra legal responsibilities and trial counsel for special court-martials. He had an unusual tradition of only allowing Mac to open and read his law school grades. This changed once he was married and he allowed his wife to open up his final grades. In his first case as trial counsel, he was prosecutor to a special court-martial for a desertion case. He graduated third in his class and passed the bar exam on his first try in February, 1999. He took the oath in the JAG conference room in March, 1999 and became a full-fledgedlawyer at JAG Headquarters. His first case after passing the bar was a conduct unbecoming charge of a Chief Warrant Officer for relieving himself in public (also known as "the urinator"). He was promoted to full Lieutenant in April, 1999 and received his own office (in what was the former file room). His first case after becoming a Lt. was defending his own father. Bud defended while Harm prosecuted. It was the first time they were on opposing sides, but Bud won the case. Bud lives with his wife, Harriet Beaumont Simms, in Rosslyn Virginia. They met while he was on an investigation on the U.S.S. Seahawk, where Harriet was stationed. They started dating after Harriet moved to Virginia. They broke up briefly one time when they were working on opposite sides of a case. However, when Bud's life was threatened while on a Tiger cruise, he realized how much he loved her. He asked her to marry him over the phone in March, 1998. They considered eloping at one point in April, 1998. They drove to Las Vegas but the fountain ended up exploding in their faces so they decided to continue on with their original wedding plans. The day before the wedding, Bud was arrested after getting into a brawl at the bar where his bachelor's party was held. Harm was Bud's best man at the wedding. Bud and Harriet were married in May, 1998. They have one son, who was born in May, 1999 named A.J. (after the Admiral). They tragically lost a baby girl, named Sarah, during childbirth in November, 2000. Bud is third generation Navy. His grandfather served on a battleship and his father was a Master Chief. His father, "Big Bud", was physically abusive to his two sons and is a heavy drinker. Bud's younger brother, Mikey, also is in the Navy. While being stationed at JAG headquarters, Bud has suffered some physical ailments. While serving as a JAG observer for a specific mission, he slipped on the deck getting into a submarine that was being taken hostage. He pulled something in his knee and had a bad limp for several weeks. His jaw was broken one time in an attempt to break up a fight between Harm and Mic. As a result of having his jaw wired together, he lost 20 lbs. Bud has always gotten himself into some unusual situations. He went on a Tiger cruise when he was 11 but spent most of the day in sick bay after getting sick from eating too many cookies. Once, as a child, he got trapped inside "Dracula's Fun House" for four hours but spent the time sleeping on top of Dracula's coffin. One Christmas Eve he spent the night in the hospital after getting a candy cane stuck up his nose. As a result of this, he volunteers his time and gives gifts to Children's Hospital at Christmas. During college, Bud lived off of Doritos and Ding Dong's. He loved to play "King's Quest" and drank Jolt cola to stay awake. His roommate in college, Ron Katz, is a millionaire now by starting a success Internet business. In college, they used to race taking PS/2's apart and putting them back together. While in school in San Diego, Bud flipped a gazillion burgers to buy a red VW bug. He drove the bug until right before the birth of his first son, when he and Harriet bought a mini-van. Bud's favorite movie character is H.A.L. from 2001: A Space Odyssey. He is a strong believer in the paranormal and in UFOs and has a Star Trek collection. Bud is an excellent researcher and computer expert. His on-line screen name is "MrFunky" and his password is "Stud." Bud is a man of integrity and honor and wouldn't let his wife borrow Madonna's dress for the Surface Warfare ball without her permission. Bud's a great friend to Harm and Mac and a great husband and father to Harriet and baby A.J.