ROTC to Induct Three Members into Hall of Heroes during 29th Annual Ceremony
JONESBORO – The Department of Military Science at Arkansas State University will induct three new members into the ROTC Hall of Heroes during its 29th annual ceremony, announced Lt. Col. Jeremy (Matt) Weeks, professor of military science.
The three to be honored with the prestigious recognition are:
– Retired Lt. Col. Walleon Bobo, director of Army instruction, Memphis-Shelby County Schools
– Retired Col. Jackey (Jack) L. Edwards, former commander of the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond, Ky.
– Col. Marcus T. Franzen, Special Operations Forces assessment director, U.S. Special Operations Command
The induction will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, in Cooper Alumni Center, 2600 Alumni Blvd. The honorees also will be recognized during halftime of the 11 a.m. Red Wolves football game with Southern Miss at Centennial Bank Stadium.
All three are Arkansas State University alumni, and each one has had a distinguished Army career in service to our country.
Here are brief highlights from the permanent citations that will be placed with their portraits in the Hall of Heroes, housed in the Lt. Col. Frederick Turner Jr. Military Science Building, 1915 Aggie Road.
Retired Lt. Col. Walleon Bobo,
Director of Army Instruction, Memphis-Shelby County Schools
Bobo, a native of Tuckerman, completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology at A-State in 1984 and commissioned through the A-State ROTC program into the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. He served in several leadership positions including platoon leader, company commander, battalion S-3, battalion S-4, headquarters commander, and small group instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Bobo’s list of awards includes the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Action Badge, and the Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award.
Following Army service, Bobo dedicated himself to Army Junior ROTC education, first serving as a senior Army instructor in Trumann, then as director of Army instruction for Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
A member of numerous professional and veteran organizations, Bobo is chairperson of the U.S. Army Cadet Command Program Advisory Committee. He and his wife Sharon Annette are the parents of two children, Melanie Rachael and Walleon Jamaal.
Retired Col. Jackey (Jack) L. Edwards,
Former Commander of the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond, Ky.
Born in Kennett, Mo., Edwards earned his bachelor’s degree in history at A-State. He entered the Army Ordnance Corps as a second lieutenant in 1974. Among his numerous career assignments, he commanded the Presidential Support EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) unit in Washington, D.C., two EOD units in Europe, and an EOD training detachment.
Edwards’ decorations and badges include the Legion of Merit (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (with six Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster for Heroism), the Army Achievement Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Airborne Badge, and the Master EOD Badge.
Following retirement from the Army, Edwards became the supervisory investigator for the Kentucky State Police Hazardous Devices Unit.
Edwards and his wife Ruth are the parents of three children, Lucas, Kelly and Whitney, and two grandchildren.
Col. Marcus T. Franzen,
Special Operations Forces Assessment Director, U.S. Special Operations Command
Franzen began his Army career in 1994, serving first as an enlisted field artillery soldier and noncommissioned officer before commissioning as an officer through ROTC at A-State. Graduating in 2001, the Englewood, Colo., native was recognized as a Distinguished Military Graduate and Cadet Battalion Commander.
Progressing through numerous assignments through his career, Franzen most recently served in command and staff positions with Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, multiple Combined and Special Operations Joint Task Forces, and Theater Special Operations Commands. Earlier, he commanded the International Special Operations Forces (SOF) Training Center, a task force, a field artillery battalion, and a brigade in combat.
Franzen’s decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and numerous joint and service commendations.
Franzen and his wife, Michelle, are parents of three children.
