A Father & Daughter Military Tradition

Anthony Harry Conrad, Jr.

Major General, U.S. Army

Harry Conrad was from New Orleans, LA and graduated from LSU with a degree in biochemistry in 1952. He later received a degree in general chemistry from the University of Southwestern Louisiana Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana - Lafayette). In campus life, he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha social fraternity. He was also a member of Pershing Rifles and was commissioned through the LSU ROTC program as a 2nd Lieutenant, U.S. Army. In 1966, he was selected as the outstanding student at the Command and General Staff College.

Following service in the Korean War, Conrad commanded a unit that was twice selected as the most outstanding large Army Reserve unit in the United States. He served in the 75th Maneuver Area Command, 4th Army Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR)

Defense School and served as Commander of the 377th Theater Sustainment Command from 1984 to 1987.

After 32 years of combined active and reserve duty, Harry Conrad retired at the rank of major general. General Conrad, a long-time dedicated supporter of LSU, was a member of the Tiger Athletic Foundation and Cadets Ole War Skule serving as president from 2001-2002. General Conrad was one of the major catalysts for establishing the LSU Military Museum. In 1998, General Conrad was inducted into the Hall of Honor for Distinguished LSU Military Alumni and was inducted into the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction in 2001.

General Conrad was the father of Colonel Debra Conrad Rondem, U.S. Army (Ret.).


Debra Conrad Rondem

Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Colonel Debra Rondem was the daughter of Major General A. Harry Conrad and Joyce Conrad. A Lafayette, Louisiana, native, she attended LSU from 1969 to 1972. On campus, she served as president and resident assistant in Evangeline Hall and was named outstanding pledge of Delta Delta Delta social sorority. She earned her master’s degree from Houston State University and post-graduate certificates in counseling and education leadership from the University of Georgia. She was also a graduate of Adjutant General Officer Basic and Advanced Courses. 

During her career, Rondem served as manager of the Selective Service System in Houston, Texas and Marietta, Georgia. She became the Commander of the Selective Service System, Smyrna, Georgia, overseeing a unit of officers from all of the services as well as civilian volunteers. She retired as a colonel in 2007. In 2008, Colonel Rondem was inducted into the Hall of Honor for Distinguished LSU Military Alumni.

Colonel Rondem became the civilian head of the Selective Service for the State of Georgia and served as director of student support services for the Forsyth County Board of Education. She was a member of Cadets of the Ole War Skule and Tiger Athletic Foundation. Colonel Rondem passed away in 2012 after a battle with cancer.