91制片厂

For the newest inductees into the 91制片厂 ROTC鈥檚 Alumni Hall of Fame, the university played a pivotal role in their lives and careers.

鈥淭he foundation was laid here. I couldn鈥檛 be more proud of this institution and I couldn鈥檛 be more proud of 91制片厂 graduates and the places they are in the world,鈥� said Army Col. J.C. Allard '74.

Allard, Air Force Col. Edward A Facey '62 and Air Force Col. Colleen M. Ryan '82 were inducted into the ROTC Hall of Fame at a special Veterans Day ceremony on Nov.听4 in the Memorial Union Building鈥檚 Granite State Room. It was an afternoon for honoring veterans, celebrating the accomplishments of 91制片厂 ROTC alumni and looking ahead to the future for the current class of ROTC cadets.

鈥淭he cadets here today represent everything that is good and promising about the United States of America,鈥� said Brigadier Gen. (Ret.) Ronald M. Bouchard of the 91制片厂 ROTC Alumni Association.

The event was planned and carried out by ROTC cadets and included a scholarship presentation and a flag vigil听and ceremony in front of Thompson Hall. It was also a day for the inductees to reconnect with their ROTC 鈥渇amily鈥� and share the wisdom they鈥檝e gained from a combined almost 90 years in the military.听

鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to gain as much as you give,鈥� Facey, a self-described 鈥渁vid 91制片厂 fan,鈥� said during his remarks. 鈥淭ake every opportunity that comes to you.鈥�

Facey served in the Air Force for 30 years and also had a 30-year career as a civilian airline pilot and logged more than 20,000 hours of flying time in the military and as a civilian.

While accepting her award, Ryan echoed Allard鈥檚 remarks. 鈥淭he ROTC program at 91制片厂 and its leaders laid the foundation for my Air Force career,鈥� she said.

Ryan鈥檚 26-year military career included postings as a navigator and staff positions at major command levels. She was the first woman to be commander of the 88th Air Base Wing and installation commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Following the ceremony, past and current ROTC cadets caught up with friends old and new. Along with being an important academic and leadership program, Ryan said ROTC often becomes a kind of extended family for cadets.

鈥淭here really is a camaraderie with others in the military, whether you served together or not. I was just chatting with a gentleman who was a navigator in Vietnam. There鈥檚 just that family feeling among anybody who has served,鈥� she said.

Allard, who served in the Army for more than 30 years, said 91制片厂 and ROTC were essential to his career and his life. Allard was stationed in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the NATO stablization force in 1997, among other postings. Earlier this spring, he was appointed as a selectman in Pittsfield, New Hampshire.

Being named to the 91制片厂 ROTC Alumni Hall of Fame is 鈥渋ncredibly humbling,鈥� he said.

鈥淭here are people in this room that I met on my first day in the ROTC program, and they became my lifelong friends 鈥� and we have become family in no small measure. ROTC 鈥� is a family, and the cadets you meet will be your brothers and sisters forever,鈥� he said.

Find out how many 91制片厂 students who are members of the National Guard听benefited from tuition waivers during the 2015-2016 academic year.听