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Salute to Service
MTSU’s top-notch Army ROTC program marks 75 years of “regimentation . . . discipline . . . something different”
by Randy Weiler
Since 1950, MTSU’s storied Army ROTC program has provided leaders to serve the nation in duty assignments around the world for the Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve.
As part of its rich history, this Reserve Officers’ Training Corps regiment has been named the No. 1 program nationally three times—in 1978 (among 283 colleges and universities), 2001, and 2006 (best medium-sized cadet battalion). It has commissioned 1,600 officers to the nation’s military leadership, including 17 current or retired general officers.
Five generals who rose through the ranks after serving as MTSU cadets were among about 150 attendees at a recent 75th anniversary celebration at the Veterans Memorial: retired Brig. Gens. Les Fuller, Pat O’Neal, and David Ogg, and retired Maj. Gens. Max Haston and James “Jim” Myles. Myles also was announced as MTSU’s nominee for the National Army ROTC Hall of Fame.
“It was new and something different, another avenue of learning. I liked the regimentation and discipline,” said retired Col. Charles Loyd “Charlie” Pigg, who at 92 was the oldest living ROTC alumnus on hand for the April event. Following his service, Pigg returned to MTSU to work and retired in 1992 after 28 years as a campus planning engineer.
Eight ROTC alumni killed in action were recognized at the ceremony. Another six pre-ROTC era students from what was then named Middle Tennessee State College also died while serving their country and are listed on the Veterans Memorial wall.
In Cantrell Hall, where a celebration cake was served, two tables featured items from a 2005 time capsule, dug up the day before, and a 2025 capsule, which was buried afterward.
Two former cadets were inducted into the MTSU ROTC Hall of Fame—Meg Kelm, currently director for counterintelligence at the National GeospatialIntelligence Agency, and retired Col. Joseph M. “Jay” Harmon III, former deputy to the commanding general at the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence. Both acknowledged how ROTC funded their educations at MTSU and led to their career service.
