Akin inducted into ROTC Hall of Fame

Retired Maj. Gen. Jere H. Akin '59 has been inducted into the Army ROTC National Hall of Fame, which honors Army ROTC graduates who have distinguished themselves in a military or civilian career. The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Corps of Cadets now has 12 total inductees in the ROTC Hall of Fame since it started in 2016.

"Major General Jere Akin is a legend in the U.S. Army and Joint Force for his sustainment skills and organizational efforts during Desert Shield/Desert Storm," retired Lt. Gen. James Terry '78, senior vice president and superintendent of the Cadet Leadership Academy, said. "He epitomizes the legacy of leadership that our UNG Corps of Cadets is known for. It's an honor to know him and to have served with him in the vaunted 101st Airborne Division, Air Assault."

Akin commissioned as a second lieutenant from what was then North Georgia College in 1959 after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He also holds a Master of Science in logistics management from Florida Institute of Technology. His military education includes completion of the Transportation Officer Basic Course, the Quartermaster Officer Advanced Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Akin held a wide variety of important command and staff positions, including assistant commandant of the United States Army Quartermaster School and assistant chief of staff C/J/G-4, Republic of Korea and Eighth United States Army. His last assignment prior to retirement in 1992 was director of plans and operations in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics at Headquarters, Department of the Army. In this assignment, he had overall staff responsibility during the deployment and sustainment of Army forces in Desert Shield/Storm.

He served in field and troop assignments with the 8th Infantry Division in Germany; as company commander of the Supply and Service Company, 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam; as commander of the 2nd Supply and Transportation Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division Support Command in Korea; and as commander of the Eagle Support Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal (with three Oak Leaf Clusters). He also received the Air Assault Badge, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

After his retirement from the Army, Akin worked with the Atlanta Olympic Committee, among other roles. He served on Alumni Council of UNG for seven years and as president in 2000 and also previously served on the UNG Foundation Board of Trustees. He was inducted into the Quartermaster Hall of fame at Fort Lee, Virginia, in 2003 and was designated as a Distinguished Alumni at UNG in 2004.