2 alumni inducted into veterans Hall of Fame

University of North Georgia (UNG) alumni retired Lt. Gen. Jamie Jarrard '88 and the late Col. Robert Barclay '68 have been inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame. Jarrard was inducted for achievement and Barclay for valor. With this year's inductees, UNG alumni account for 29 of the 206 inductees since the Hall of Fame started in 2013. 

The induction was held Nov. 1 in the St. Luke Ministry Center in Columbus, Georgia.

"Induction into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes the selfless service and dedication to protecting the Constitution of the United States of America," said retired Lt. Gen. James Terry, UNG senior vice president and superintendent of the Cadet Leadership Academy. "It is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon Georgia Veterans. Both retired Lt. Gen. Jamie Jarrard and Col. Robert Barclay are truly worthy of this recognition."

Jarrard returned to UNG earlier this year as co-champion of the "get in the national security game" strategic big bet and professor of practice. His leadership roles in the Army included:

• Assistant commanding general for the 7th Infantry Division
• Assistant to the J5, Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Pentagon)
• Commanding general for a Special Operations Joint Task Force - Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Director of operations for U.S. Special Operations Command
• Commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division
• Chief of staff for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
• Deputy commanding general for the U.S. Army Pacific

He is part of the UNG class of 1988 that produced five general officers. The other four were retired Lt. Gen. Paul Calvert, retired Maj. Gen. William K. Gayler, Maj. Gen. Joseph Jarrard, and retired Brig. Gen. Michael L. Scholes.

Jarrard holds a Bachelor of Science in business from UNG and a master's degree in military art and operational science from U.S. Air Force Air University.

After graduating from UNG in 1968, Barclay commissioned into the Army as a second lieutenant. In 1970 during Barclay's assignment as executive officer of a company in the 27th Infantry, Republic of Vietnam, his unit came under hostile fire while on a reconnaissance mission. Despite attempting to suffuse the situation with grenades, an enemy grenade landed in their midst and failed to explode. Ignoring the imminent danger, he crawled past the undetonated device and hurled two of his own grenades. His selfless bravery not only eliminated critical danger to his fellow soldiers but also neutralized the threat by silencing the enemy emplacement.

For his valorous life-saving actions that resulted in the success of the mission, Barclay was awarded the Silver Star.  Included among other decorations for valor presented during his long career were the Legion of Merit, three Bronze Stars and four Vietnam service medals.

Barclay continued to serve his country until his retirement in 1989 after 23 years of exemplary service.

Barclay also later served as commandant of cadets at UNG.

Henry L. "Dick" Thompson, another of the inductees, is the husband of a UNG graduate whose daughter and granddaughter also graduated from UNG. Also, after his Vietnam tour, Thompson was assigned to the Mountain Ranger Camp in 1970-1973. While there, he helped start a parachute club at North Georgia, and he has personally conducted free-fall parachute demonstration jumps onto the Gen. William "Lipp" Livsey" Drill Field several times.