In the fall of 1936, several young men at what was then Arkansas State College became the first cadets in the Reserve Officers Training Corps. They could never have imagined the events in the fall of 2021, when the current cadets, instructional staff and program alumni gathered to observe the 85th anniversary of Army ROTC at Arkansas State University. “Festivities held in November combined to make the 85th anniversary a highly memorable time for Army ROTC alumni at A-State,” noted Richard Hartness of Jonesboro, commander of the A-State Army ROTC Alumni Battalion, a chapter of the A-State Alumni Association. “Beginning with the annual military ball, continuing with the ceremony celebrating the naming of the Frederick C. Turner Jr. Military Science Building, and the induction of four individuals into the Hall of Heroes, the anniversary celebration featured numerous activities.” Retired Maj. Gen. George Barker, ’55, was featured speaker for the military ball, where special guests included retired Col. Denise M. Beaumont, ‘94, retired Lt. Col. Steven D. Beaumont, ‘94, and retired Lt. Col. Henry (Herb) Sennett Jr., ‘68. The fourth inductee, late Maj. Gen. Boniface Campbell, one of the three Army officers on the initial cadre for the ROTC program, was represented by a grandson, Peter Rowan Sr. The Beaumonts, who happen to be the first married couple inducted into the Hall of Heroes simultaneously, are the parents of current Cadet Zach Beaumont.
Family, friends and former associates of retired Lt. Col. Frederick C. Turner Jr. gathered Nov. 5 to hear remarks from him and from others during a dedication ceremony for the Military Science Building that now bears his name. Other highlights during the 85th anniversary celebration included a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony for Arkansas State and the National Guard, regarding agreements for the A-State satellite office at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock, and 23 cadets took their contracting oath to signify their commitment to completing their degree and commissioning into active duty, National Guard or Reserve service for the U.S. Army. “The 85th anniversary events, and every day our doors are open, provides an opportunity for those with storied careers to return to their alma mater, share their success and wisdom with others, and enjoy the continued tradition of camaraderie,” added Lt. Col. J. Morgan Weatherly, professor of military science. “I encourage anyone, at any point in or beyond their military career, to visit the nation’s best ROTC program, share their stories, and let us share with you our progress as a program and the vision for the future.” Military Presence Began in 1923 Hartness, ’68 ‘78 ’14, who completed a master’s degree and completed coursework toward a doctorate in heritage studies at A-State, researched details of the ROTC program’s first 85 years. He donated
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