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Billy Wells, Senior Vice President for Leadership and Global Engagementbilly.wells@ung.edu Colonel (Ret) Billy E. Wells, Jr., EdD, graduated from Mississippi State University in 1975 as a Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned in the Regular Army as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He graduated from the Army War College, and has a master’s degree in education from Louisiana State University and a doctorate in higher education from Vanderbilt University. Colonel Wells’ Army assignments included service with the 82d Airborne Division; the 7th Army and 1st Armored Division in Germany; the 75th Ranger Regiment and the infantry school at Ft. Benning, GA; the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, KY; the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii; the 188th Infantry Brigade at Ft. Stewart, GA; the 1st Army at Ft. McPherson, GA; and Professor of Military Science at UNG. He retired from the Army in 2005 after a highly successful 30 year career in the infantry. |
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Joseph (Joe) Matthews, Commandant of Cadetsjoseph.matthews@ung.edu Colonel (Ret) Joseph (Joe) Matthews was commissioned a second lieutenant in the air defense artillery from the University of North Georgia in 1994. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History degree from North Georgia College, a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the Army War College, and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science degree from the Air Force Command and Staff College. Early in his career, Colonel Matthews served in air defense units in Korea and the 3d Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart. He then served as a military intelligence officer in the 10th Mountain Division at Ft. Drum, Robins Air Force Base, Ft. Meade, Maryland, Germany and Hawaii. He is also a veteran of deployments to Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He served in many key staff positions, and commanded at the platoon, company, and battalion levels. |
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Colonel Bryan G. Kirk, Professor of Military ScienceColonel Bryan G. Kirk is a native of Monroe, North Carolina and is a graduate of Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. Now a Special Forces Officer, he was commissioned as an Armor Officer and has served in Special Operations units worldwide. He most recently served as the Deputy and then Director of Operations (J3) for the Theater Special Operations Command for Central Command in Tampa, Florida and as the Deputy Plans Officer for the NATO Special Operations Component Command / Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan in Bagram. Colonel Kirk is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic Course and Infantry Advanced Course; Special Forces Assessment and Qualification Course; Ranger Course; College of Naval Command and Staff; and the Army War College. He holds Masters of Science degrees in Strategic Studies, National Security and Strategic Studies and a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts. |
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Keith Antonia, Associate Vice President for Military Programskeith.antonia@ung.edu Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Antonia retired from 20 years of service in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer in August 2001. He is a 1981 graduate of the University of Connecticut, holds a Master’s Degree from the Naval War College in National Security and Strategic Studies, and a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership and Practice from the University of North Georgia. He served two tours in the 82d Airborne Division, two tours in the 75th Ranger Regiment, and three tours in the Airborne Ranger Training Brigade. He was designated a distinguished member of the Ranger Training Brigade in 2005; inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 2009; and served at the Honorary Colonel of the Ranger Training Brigade from 2011 to 2014. |
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James Corbin, Director of Development, Corps of Cadetsjames.corbin@ung.edu Lieutenant Colonel James Corbin graduated from the University of North Georgia in 2002 with an active duty commission in the Armor Branch and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is a graduate of the UNC-IDB Strategic Studies Fellowship Program, a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, and holds a Master’s Degree in Global and International Education from Drexel University. James has deployed three times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. Post-company command, James was assigned to 3-16th Cavalry Regiment, where he served as the Troop Commander and Course Manager for the Army Reconnaissance Course and Cavalry Leaders Course. In 2013, James transitioned off active duty into the GA Army National Guard, where he has served in the 560th BfSB, the 3-108th Cavalry Regiment, 3-121st Infantry Regiment, and in the State G3. Prior to joining the staff at UNG, James was the VP for Enrollment Management at Riverside Military Academy. |
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Heath Williams, Director, UNG Federal Liaison and Military Education Coordinatorheath.williams@ung.edu Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Heath Williams, a native of Cumming, Georgia, graduated from the University of North Georgia in 1989. A Distinguished Military Graduate, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and holds a Master of Science degree in International Studies from Troy University. After serving as an Army Aviator, flying AH-1F Cobra Attack Helicopters and as an Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, he retired in 2011. Post military, he served as a Defense Intelligence Agency Senior Counterintelligence Instructor at the Joint Counterintelligence Training Activity and as a Department of Energy Counterintelligence Officer at the Savannah River National Laboratory. |
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Wesley (Wes) Pirkle, Director, Global Military Programswesley.pirkle@ung.edu Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Wesley M. Pirkle graduated from North Georgia College and Commissioned as a Regular Army Officer in 1993. Here he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and he also holds a Master of Military Art and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) retired after 28 years of service and qualified and commanded as both an Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer and Special Forces officer. During his career he served many years in The Netherlands, Germany, and France and deployed on operations throughout Africa, Europe, and South/Southwest Asia. |
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Terry Baumann, Assistant Director, Global Military Programsterry.baumann@ung.edu Sergeant Major (Ret) Terry Baumann began working for the Center for Global Engagement in June 2017 after serving as the Operations Coordinator for the Corps of Cadets as a member of the Commandant of Cadets staff. |