Brigadier General John G. Meyer, Jr.
General Meyer, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, received his commission as a military police officer through Army ROTC following graduation from Florida State University in 1967. During his 33-year career, General Meyer served more than seven years overseas, with tours in the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Vietnam. Command assignments have included military police companies at Fort Hood, Fort Gordon and in the Republic of Vietnam, 385th Military Police Battalion and 14th Military Police Brigade in Stuttgart, Germany, and the Community & Family Support Center. He also served as a battalion operations officer, aide-de-camp to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Europe, military assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army, director of the Department of Defense Base Transition Office and chief of public affairs, United States Army. He is the author of "Company Command, The Bottom Line," a writing that continues to influence soldiers and young leaders of yesterday and today.
Brigadier General William H. Roche
General Roche, a native of Vernon, Florida, received his commission as an armor officer through Army ROTC following graduation from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business in 1958. While at FSU, he was vice-president of his junior and senior class and a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. During his 30-year career, General Roche served in several overseas locations, including tours in the Federal Republic of Germany, Korea, and the Republic of Vietnam. Command assignments included tank companies at Fort Knox and Germany, a tank battalion with 2nd Infantry Division, a brigade in 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, and Assistant Division Commander of 3rd Armored Division. He also served as an assistant professor of military science at Florida State University, where he earned a Master of Science degree in counseling. He was the military assistant to the Secretary of the Army for terms, a liaison officer to the U.S. Senate, chief of the House Liaison Division and later served as deputy chief of legislative liaison in the Office of the Secretary of the Army. He passed away November 5, 2022 at age 87. A graveside memorial service was held at Arlington National Cemetery on June 7, 2024.
Brigadier General Frederick H. Essig
General Essig, a native of Chicago, Illinois, received his commission as a signal officer through Army ROTC following graduation from Florida State University in 1965. During his 30-year career, General Essig served more than 12 years overseas, with tours in the Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, and the Republic of Vietnam. Command assignments have included a signal company in South Vietnam, 34th Signal Battalion and the 7th Signal Brigade (U.S. Army Europe), 7th Signal Command, and the Defense Information Systems Agency – Western Hemisphere. He also served as the signal office, 82nd Airborne Division Artillery, operations and plans officer, 82nd Signal Battalion, deputy command, 93rd Signal Brigade, deputy controller for Central Operating Authority (SHAPE), and director Army and Joint Information Services Organization.
Brigadier General Robert L. Floyd II
General Floyd, a native of Miami, Florida, received his commission in 1969 as an infantry officer through Army ROTC following graduation from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. During his 28-year career, General Floyd served three tours of duty overseas; twice in the Federal Republic of Germany and once in the Republic of Vietnam where he was assigned as an advisor to the 21st Ranger Battalion, 1st Ranger Group. Command assignments have included a headquarters detachment, maintenance company, 708th Support Battalion in the 8th Infantry Division and Division Support Command of the 24th Infantry Division. He has also served as a division ammunition officer; assistant chief of staff, deputy G-4 and executive officer, division support command, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); special assistant to the chief of staff; and director of logistics (J-4), United States Atlantic Command.
Lieutenant General Jay M. Garner
General Garner, a native of Arcadia, Florida, began his military career with the Florida Army National Guard. LTG (Ret) Garner was a 1962 Distinguished Graduate of FSU's Army ROTC when he graduated in 1962. During his 35-year career, General Garner has served more than eight years overseas, including tours in the Federal Republic of Germany, Iraq, and the Republic of Vietnam. Command assignments have included 2nd Battalion 59th Air Defense Artillery, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Air Defense Command (Europe), Joint Task Force Bravo in Iraq, and U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command. He has also served as deputy commanding general, V Corps, Federal Republic of Germany, deputy commanding general and assistant commandant of the U.S. Army Air Defense School at Fort Bliss, Texas, and assistant vice chief of staff, Army. He established the Army ROTC Scholarship Fund in 2000. LTG (Ret) Jay Garner was the speaker at our 2017 Military Ball.
Major General Ronald O. Harrison
General Harrison, a native of Bartow, Florida, received his commission as an infantry officer through Army ROTC following graduation from Florida State University in 1960. While at FSU, he starred as a sprinter on the track team and was recognized as Athlete of the Year. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. During his service on active duty, General Harrison began his military career in Schweinfurt, Germany as a rifle platoon leader and company executive officer in the 3rd Infantry Division. Later, he was the company executive officer with the 29th, 30th and 38th Infantry, and 53rd Separate Infantry Brigade. His staff assignments included Battalion S-1, S-2, and S-3 Air, Brigade S-2 and S-3, state civil affairs officer, and secretary to the general staff. On March 1, 1992 he was appointed Adjutant General of Florida by Governor Lawton Chiles. He was promoted to major general on March 11, 1993. He retired effective November 3, 2001. He continues to be involved in military and homeland security issues as a consultant with Harrison and Associates LLC.
Congressman F. Allen Boyd Jr.
Congressman Boyd, a native of Monticello, Florida, received his commission as an infantry officer through Army ROTC following graduation from Florida State University in 1969. He was assigned as a training officer and company commander at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri before serving a combat tour in the Republic of Vietnam as a rifle platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). In 1988, Congressman Boyd began his political career when he successfully ran for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives. During the next seven years, he served in several important leadership positions, including majority whip, chair of the Governmental Operations Committee and chair of the House Rules and Calendar Committee. In 1996, he was elected to the 105th Congress of the United States representing Florida’s Second Congressional District. Allen Boyd was the speaker at the May 2025 Commissioning Ceremony.
Major General John L. Scott
General John L. Scott served in the U.S. Army for over 35 years, culminating in his retirement at the rank of major general. He was recognized for his distinguished service in the Signal Regiment, a branch responsible for military communications and information systems. His career also included significant contributions as a civil servant after his military retirement.
Brigadier General Spessard Boatright
General Spessard Boatright was a distinguished military and educational leader with deep ties to Florida and Florida State University. He was born in Pine Mount, Suwannee County, Florida. He joined the Florida Army National Guard in 1958 during his senior year of high school. In 1964, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Florida State University, and in 1968 he received his Master of Education in education administration and supervision from Florida Atlantic University. In 1968, he sought the office of Superintendent of Schools in Suwannee County, winning the election at the age of 27 years old. To date he is still the youngest person ever elected District School Superintendent in the state of Florida. BG Boatright retired as a brigadier general with the Florida Army National Guard after serving his country for 39 1/2 years. His last major active duty was commander, 202 Medical Group in Jacksonville, FL. He deployed the group to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield where he commanded three 400-bed hospitals, one in Oman and two in the United Arab Emirates. In 2008, his autobiography "The Unknown Journey: An Autobiography of Spessard Boatright" was published. He passed away in April 2024 in Tallahassee at the age of 83 years.
Honorable Charles Williams
Honorable Charles Williams is a native of Gilchrist County and he served in the Florida Senate from 1992 to 1998. He was honored on February 27, 2024 when the Suwannee County School Board came together to pay tribute to former Florida State Senator Charles Williams, dedicating the road leading into Branford Elementary School as Senator Charles Williams Lane.
major General Patrick Sargent
General Pat Sargent was born and raised in Panama City, Florida. He graduated from FSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. As a distinguished military graduate, he earned a regular army commission in the Adjutant General Corps. As a lieutenant, he branched to the Medical Service Corps and became an aeromedical evacuation pilot. His 35-year career included prominent staff and command positions in peace and war
Sargent is a graduate of the Adjutant General Basic and Aviation Officer Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College and the National War College. He holds a Master of Arts degree in human resources development from Webster University and a Master of Science degree in national security strategy from the National War College. As a broadening assignment he was selected as an army congressional fellow and served on the staff of U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin working on his DOD and VA portfolios.
He enjoys reading, golfing, playing the saxophone and cheering on the Florida State Seminoles. He recently retired from the U.S. Army after 35 years of service at the rank of major general. He was the speaker at our 2014 Spring Commissioning Ceremony.
MAJOR GENERAL TRACY R. NORRIS
General Tracy R. Norris was the adjutant general of the Texas National Guard from 2019 to 2022. Norris was the first female commander of the Texas Military Department, an organization composed of the Texas Air National Guard, Texas Army National Guard, and the Texas State National Guard. Norris attended Florida State University on an ROTC scholarship. She earned her degree in anthropology in 1984 and began her career in the military upon graduation. She returned to Florida State University and graduated with a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning. While in the military, she attended the United States Army War College and earned her master's in strategic studies.
Norris twice deployed to Iraq. From January to July 2007, Norris was an officer with the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade in Balad, Iraq. From December 2010 to September 2011, Norris was the chief of staff 36th Infantry Division in Basra, Iraq. While serving in that capacity, she oversaw command and control of nine provinces in southern Iraq.
Prior to accepting the position of adjutant general of the Texas Guard, Norris had previous command experience. In addition to serving in the Texas National Guard, she has served in other states’ Guard units, specifically Georgia, Florida, Virginia and Massachusetts.