Dean of NATO Defense College to speak at North Georgia commencement
7/26/2012 1:46:22 PM
(July 26, 2012) Dr. Richard D. Hooker
Jr., dean of the NATO Defense College in Rome, will be the keynote speaker at
the Aug. 3 commencement exercises at North Georgia College & State
University.
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| Dr. Richard Hooker |
Hooker, a member of the Council
on Foreign Relations, the International Institute of Strategic Studies, and the
Foreign Policy Research Council, has been dean of the NATO Defense College since
October 2010.
"Dr. Hooker is a preeminent expert in defense and
international affairs, having worked in the White House under three presidents
and now educating our allies' military and civilian leaders at NATO,"
North Georgia President Bonita Jacobs said. "We are thrilled to welcome
someone of his stature to participate in our commencement, as his expertise
meshes with our university's strategic focus on developing globally prepared
leaders, presenting a unique opportunity for our students and their
guests."
The NATO Defense College,
established in 1951, concentrates on high-level political and military issues
faced by both civilian and military leaders around the world and seeks to help
them master the skills needed to succeed in a global environment.
A former White House fellow,
Hooker taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Army War
College in Washington, D.C. He also worked for the White House's Office for
National Service under President George H.W. Bush, and the National Security
Council (NSC) under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
Hooker is a graduate of the U.S.
Military Academy and holds master's and doctoral degrees in international
relations from the University of Virginia. He is a distinguished graduate of
the U.S. Army War College, where he earned a Master of Science in National
Security Studies and also served as a post-doctoral research fellow. His
publications include more than 30 articles and two books.
Hooker served in the U.S. Army
for 30 years as a parachute infantry officer and participated in military
operations around the world. His military service also included tours in the
offices of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretary of the Army
and the chief of staff of the Army. His military awards include the Defense Superior
Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat
Infantryman’s Badge.
More than 200 associate,
bachelor's, and post-graduate degrees will be awarded in the ceremony scheduled
to begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 3 in Memorial Hall Gymnasium on the university's Dahlonega
campus. The graduating class includes 27 cadets who will commission as officers
in the U.S. Army upon graduation.
Founded in 1873 and located in
Dahlonega, Ga., North Georgia College & State University is the
second-oldest public institution of higher education in the state and currently
has about 6,100 students, including more than 750 in its Corps of Cadets. The
liberal arts university is designated by the University System of Georgia as a
state leadership institution and by the Georgia General Assembly as The
Military College of Georgia.