MILITARY BALL

Dateline: Home Study

My wife and I attended the Army and Air Force ROTC Joint Military Ball held at the Hunter Henry Center on the campus of Mississippi State University. I was invited in my capacity as chair of the Military Affairs Committee of the Greater Starkville Area Development Partnership and there were other committee members present as well. It was a pleasure to be there and do the double duty of representing the Navy as well.

This event was, by and large, planned and executed by the cadets of the Army and Air Force ROTC programs. They did a great job and are truly leaders. There were simply too many things to be done for this event to have come together without that leadership.

There was a reception line entering the room and I happened to be in line behind Becky Wiles of the Oktibbeha County Red Cross, a table-mate for the night, who took this picture of General Foglesong and me as I was entering.

Of course the teaching of that leadership was done by my friends Lt. Col. Terry Dickensheet of the AFROTC, and LTC Marcus Majure of the Army ROTC.

The keynote speaker for the event was the President of Mississippi State University, General Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong. General Foglesong gave an interesting and motivating speech on character and leadership. I have had the privilege of hearing speak on that topic in several other venues, but it was a little different tonight. By speaking to an audience of like-minded people, people in uniform, he was able to make some points that are difficult to make with more general audiences.

Unfortunately, I had been up late for many nights working on a paper so my wife and I did not stay for the dancing that followed. Perhaps next year.

Now all that remains is – Go Navy! Beat Army!