The Joint Forces Color Guard presents the colors.

Hall of Honor inductees and VIPS, left to right, seated, Judy Barnett, mother of deceased honoree 1LT Christopher Barnett; LTC Robert Freshley, Sr.; Col Albert Perez, and Ben Franklin, III; standing, James Barnett, brother of 1LT Christopher Barnett; LSU Board of Supervisors member Mary Werner; LSU Military Excellence Campaign co-chair Laura Leach; President F. King Alexander; and Cadets of the Ole War Skule President John Milazzo, Jr.

Left: The Corps passes in review.
Right: President F. King Alexander with Congressman Garret Graves, guest speaker at the President’s Reception/LSU Salutes dinner at the Faculty Club.

Left: Rear Admiral Craig A. Clapperton, Deputy Director for Future Operations, U.S. Cyber Command, delivered the keynote address at the Commandant’s Luncheon.
Right: John P. Laborde, left, receives the Fred Dent Patriotism Award presented by Sarah Holliday James of Capitol Area Republican Women and MIDN/CAPT Jacob Holl, LSU Corps Commander.

Left: Laura Leach, co-chair of the LSU Military Excellence Campaign, vocalist Terry Patrick Harris, LSU music professor; and Mary L. Werner, a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors at the President’s Reception/LSU Salutes dinner.
Right: Jane Verret, president-elect of Campus Federal Credit Union, presents the new garrison flag to the LSU Corps of Cadets.

LSU Salutes Weekend

4 Inducted into Military Hall of Honor

Four LSU graduates were inducted into the Hall of Honor for Distinguished LSU Military Alumni during LSU Salutes 2018. The event is co-sponsored by the university and Cadets of the Ole War Skule. Honored were the late U.S. Army 1LT Christopher W. Barnett, of Baton Rouge; Benjamin R. Franklin, III, of Baton Rouge; retired U.S. Army LTC Robert L. Freshley, Sr., of Jeanerette, La.; and retired U.S. Air Force Col Albert W. Perez, of Baton Rouge.

The ceremony was held on Saturday, Nov. 3, at the LSU War Memorial on the Parade Ground. The group was also recognized during pre-game activities at the LSU vs. Alabama football game at Tiger Stadium

On Friday, Nov. 2, the inductees were recognized at the Commandant’s Luncheon in the LSU Student Union Ballroom and at the President’s Reception/LSU Salutes Dinner at the LSU Faculty Club. Rear Admiral Craig A. Clapperton, Deputy Director for Future Operations, U.S. Cyber Command, delivered the keynote address at the Commandant’s Luncheon, and Congressman Garret N. Graves was guest speaker at the dinner Friday evening.

Photo by Colby D. Sterling

Tower Restoration Update

At long last – after almost 20 years of conversations and planning – the renovation and restoration of Memorial Tower has begun. Work will be done on the building’s interior and exterior, as well as the surrounding plaza. The anticipated completion date is the summer of 2020, with a formal grand opening of LSU Military Museum during LSU Salutes week Nov. 2-7, 2020. Restoration updates will be included in future issues of this newsletter. To view the potential renovation and restoration designs, visit this link.

If you have not already contributed to the LSU Military Excellence Campaign for Memorial Tower and the LSU Military Museum, please do so today. Checks should be made payable to LSU Foundation and include Project # 103034. If you have questions, please contact us at 225-578-0420 or cadets@lsu.edu. Thank you for your continuing support for Cadets of the Ole War Skule and for this effort which seeks to ensure that LSU’s rich military history and heritage are preserved for future Tigers and alumni and friends of LSU. For the Long Purple Line...

Rededication of Memorial Oak Grove

Rededication of Memorial Oak Grove

Thirty-one LSU Army and Air Force cadets, and Navy midshipmen took part in the Memorial Oak Grove rededication ceremony on Veterans Day, marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. Memorial Oak Grove was dedicated on March 12, 1926, to honor the 30 LSU men who lost their lives in the war. Thirty-one live oak trees were planted, one for each of the fallen and one for an unknown soldier, as a living reminder of their sacrifice and service to the country.

Photos by Eddy Perez/LSU Strategic Communications.

Watch the Video

Senior Symposium

Left: CAPTAIN Franklin Foil. Right: Maj Eric Mehrtens.

CAPTAIN Franklin Foil, Appellate Judge at the Navy and Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, Washington, D.C., led the October Senior Symposium session on “Enlightening Future Young Officers on the UCMJ.” The November session, “Perspectives: Rhetoric vs. Reality,” was led by U.S. Air Force Maj Eric J. Mehrtens, CWMD Planner, SOCOM CWMD Fusion Cell

Cadets Celestial

Maj. (USAF Ret.) John L. “Boodie” Boudreaux, Jr., 1972 BACH H&SS, Oct. 19, 2018, Collierville, Tenn.

O. Fred Loy, Jr., 1962 BACH H&SS, Oct. 20, 2018, Baton Rouge, La.

Calendar of Events - Spring 2019