Eldridge wins the Department of the Army Commander's Award for Public Service
Grace Mestad |
At Lipscomb University, serving the community goes far beyond the borders of campus. Students and faculty alike take great pride in serving others and using their gifts and talents to better the communities in which they live and work.
One faculty member who embodies this idea of service is Ray Eldridge, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Business.
On Sept 24, The Department of the Army named Eldridge one of three recipients of the Commander’s Award for Public Service at the Soldier and Family for Life Appreciate Appreciation Week event at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, home of the 101st Airborne Division.
Along with a medal, Eldridge was also awarded an Army Challenge coin from Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston, as well as a citation that honored his selfless service and duty to the retired soldiers of Fort Campbell.
Eldridge served as a member of the Fort Campbell Retired Soldier council from 2008 to 2016. During his tenure on the council, he made a significant difference in the lives of the Fort Campbell Retiree population through his dedication to making sure issues were addressed and quickly reconciled or elevated to the Chief of Staff, Fort Campbell, KY.
“My duties while on the council included but were not limited to representing the Retired Soldier Council to those in Middle Tennessee,” Eldridge said. “The council served military retirees and were responsible to craft a ‘white paper’ each year for the Commander at Fort Campbell to present to the Department of the Army on issues that military retirees and veterans were facing, as well as proposed solutions.”
Eldridge served on the council with 11 other individuals selected from throughout the Fort Campbell area of operations in Kentucky and Tennessee.
“I was very honored with this award,” said Eldridge. “Rarely is one honored by the military after you retire. My own military career was the best of times and the worst of times and so I believe that it is critical to live up to the motto, ‘Soldier for Life.’ Veterans have to take care of each other. We are a small group as only 0.4 percent of the American population is active military.”
The Soldier and Family for Life Appreciation event honored all Veterans and provided Fort Campbell the opportunity to recognize the significant contributions and sacrifices made by Veterans, Retirees and their families.