Skip to Main Content Skip to Main Navigation Skip to Footer
UNG Logo
  • Info For...
    • Accepted Students
    • Current Students
    • Parents & Family
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Alumni
    • Business & Community
    • International Students
  • Quicklinks
    • Directories
    • myUNG
    • Academic Catalogs
    • Athletics
    • Banner
    • Bookstore
    • Calendars
    • Campuses & Maps
    • Continuing Education
    • D2L
    • Employment / HR
    • IT Service Desk
    • Libraries
    • UNG Foundation
  • Admissions
  • Corps of Cadets
  • Academics
  • Cost & Aid
  • Student Life
  • News & Events
  • Athletics
  • About Us

Find the most up-to-date information on the Presidential Search site.

Newsroom
  • All Articles
  • Media Relations Contact
  • Expert Guide
  • Points of Pride
  • Magazine
  • Social Media
    1. UNG
    2. News

    Mixon, Lord inducted into ROTC Hall of Fame

    November 28, 2022
    UNG alumni retired Col. Gerald Lord, left, and retired Lt. Gen. Benjamin 'Randy' Mixon, right, were inducted into the Army ROTC Hall of Fame this fall. They were recognized at the UNG Gala in October by Col. Bryan Kirk, UNG professor of military science, center, for their accomplishment.

    Article By: Clark Leonard

    Two University of North Georgia (UNG) alumni were inducted into the Army ROTC Hall of Fame this fall. The induction of retired Lt. Gen. Benjamin "Randy" Mixon, '75, and retired Col. Gerald Lord, '61, means UNG now has nine alumni who have received this honor since the ROTC Hall of Fame started in 2016.

    After serving as the UNG Corps of Cadets' brigade commander as a senior, Mixon served 36 years on active duty and had numerous combat deployments. His Army career included command positions from platoon to theater level, serving in the 82nd Airborne Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division, and 75th Ranger Regiment.

    His final two assignments were commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division, including deployments for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Task Force Lightning and Multi-National Division North in Iraq, and commanding general of the United States Army Pacific.

    North Georgia and the Army helped me progress from not knowing what I wanted to do with my life to doing some wonderful things.

    Retired Col. Gerald Lord

    UNG alumnus

     "North Georgia really instilled in me the devotion to duty and the ethics that I needed to be successful as a military officer," Mixon said. "That underpinning provided me with the necessary skills to begin leading an infantry platoon on the day I entered the Army. It laid the most solid foundation I could have had to be successful in the military."

    Mixon maintains his connection to UNG today as a trustee and longtime supporter of the Corps of Cadets.

    Lord served in the Army for more than 30 years, including a stint as professor of military science and commandant of cadets at UNG from 1984-1988. He also served combat tours in Vietnam. His final active-duty assignment was as commander of the Army Garrison in Fort McPherson, Georgia, from 1988-1991. Lord served another stint as UNG commandant while also serving as director of Auxiliary Services from 1997-1999 and was associate vice president for business and finance from 2001-2008.

    "North Georgia and the Army helped me progress from not knowing what I wanted to do with my life to doing some wonderful things," Lord said. "This award was a huge honor and one I didn't expect. I just tried to do the job that needed to be done."

    Though graduates from different decades, Lord and Mixon concur that UNG's model for training Army and civilian leaders remains rock-solid today.

    "It's one of the premier institutions in the country for building leaders and good citizens," Mixon said.

    The ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 2016 as part of the ROTC Centennial celebration. The Hall of Fame honors graduates of Army ROTC who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. UNG's previous inductees are retired Lt. Gen. Burton Patrick, '57; retired Brig. Gen. David Grange, '69; Bob Mathews, '71; retired Maj. Gen. Alan "Bud" Thrasher, '72; retired Col. James "Tom" Palmer, '73; retired Lt. Gen. James Terry, '78; and, retired Gen. Stephen Townsend, '82.

    Contact the Author

    Cadets raise $32K for suicide interventions

    Cadets raise $32K for suicide interventions

    The UNG Corps of Cadets raised more than $32,000 for Armed Forces Mission's suicide intervention efforts through the Courageous Challenge pushup competition.
    Spring FROG class joins Corps of Cadets

    Spring FROG class joins Corps of Cadets

    About 25 incoming cadets engaged in Freshmen Recruit Orientation Group (FROG) Week at UNG this January.
    Applications open for Georgia Military Service Scholarship

    Applications open for Georgia Military Service Scholarship

    Applications are open for the Georgia Military Service Scholarship, which is worth $85,000 for cadets who are in the Georgia Army National Guard while in the Corps of Cadets.
    Cadet Sullens wins  AUSA scholarship

    Cadet Sullens wins AUSA scholarship

    UNG cadet Olivia Sullens was awarded a $10,000 Condor Outdoor Products Scholarship from the Association of the United States Army.

    UNG Logo
    • Contact Us
    • Request Information
    • Quick Facts
    • Campus Maps & Directions
    • Student Consumer Information
    • Campus Safety
    • Emergency Information
    • Employment/HR
    • UNG Policies & Procedures
    • UNG Alumni Association
    • UNG Foundation
    • Ethics & Compliance Hotline
    • Human Trafficking Notice
    • Equal Empl. Opportunity

    © 2023 The University System of Georgia and the University of North Georgia.

    UNG follows the section 508 Standards and WCAG 2.0 for web accessibility. If you require this content in another format, please send an email to the ADA Coordinator.

    Use of military-themed imagery does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense.

    • Accreditation
    • Accessibility
    • Privacy Policy
    Establishing Connection...
    AskNigel