Trendsetters in the militaryLt. Col. Brett Hale, of OoltewahOccupation: Employed by Purdue Pharma.Claim to Fame: U.S. Army Lt. Col. Brett M. Hale, commander of the 345th Military Intelligence Battalion in Fort Gordon, Ga., was recently awarded the Bronze Star Medal. He completed his third active duty tour in Iraq on Jan. 5. He was selected for the rank of colonel in October and will be officially promoted in the next few months.Name: Col. James M. McDonaldOccupation: The Red Bank High School and UTC alum has served 30 years in the U.S. Army.Claim to Fame: Recently promoted to Brigadier General at Fort Hood, Texas, where he is Effects Coordinator for the III Corps. He is now deployed to Iraq.Cadet William S. Brant, IIIOccupation: Graduate of the U.S. Military Academy.Claim to Fame: He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army within the transportation branch. Upon completion of Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Lee, Va., he will report to Kaiserslautern, Germany, as part of the 16th Sustainment Division.
Ten years after the ROTC Military Science and Leadership program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga had been phased out, Maj. Ben Smith was assigned to UTC’s campus to rebuild the program.
Maj. Smith said he and Dr. Robert Swansbrough, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, began the program in 2007 with 30 freshmen through juniors.
Spring semester of this year, the ROTC program had 73 students enrolled and commissioned four second lieutenants at commencement.
“Maj. Ben Smith’s leadership brought stability and success to the new program,” said Roger Brown, UTC Chancellor.
Maj. Smith said he had never undertaken building a new program when he came to UTC. But he said it was the opportunity to “get in on the ground floor and really make a difference in inspiring young leadership” that drew his interest when he made the short list of candidates being considered.
A native of Fayetteville, Tenn., Maj. Smith entered military service in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1981 before transitioning to the Army National Guard in 1986.
He has served as Executive Officer, 278th Military Intelligence Company, Nashville; S2, 2nd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Kingsport; and Assistant S2 for the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Knoxville. He also served in Operation Iraqi Freedom III.
For his leadership at UTC, he was awarded the meritorious Permanent Change of Station Award by Lt. Col. David Leach, professor of military science at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Maj. Smith began his new assignment at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., this month.