December 2010 (6).qxd - United States Special Operations Command

USSOCOM inducts inaugural
class into Commando Hall of Honor
By Senior Airman Anna-Marie Wyant
USSOCOM Public Affairs
U.S. Special Operations Command inducted its first
14 members into its Commando Hall of Honor at a
ceremony in front of USSOCOM headquarters at
MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 27.
The Commando Hall of Honor, located in the
USSOCOM headquarters lobby, “will be considered the
most prominent space in the building, remaining
dedicated to ensuring past, present and future warriors
and members of the Special Operations community will
remember the bravery and innovation of our founding
fathers and significant contributors to Special
Operations,” Lt. Cmdr. Brian Olavin, master of
ceremonies, told the crowd at the event.
After an invocation by Col. Thomas Solhjem,
USSOCOM chaplain, Adm. Eric T. Olson, USSOCOM
commander, addressed the inductees and the crowd,
thanking them for attending.
“Your presence here is the greatest tribute to those
who we are inducting into the U.S. Special Operations
Command Commando Hall of Honor today,” Olson
said.
The Commando Hall of Honor was intended to
honor and recognize accomplishments of individuals
who distinguished themselves through their unique and
prestigious contributions to the Special Operations
community he explained.
“Each of today’s inductees epitomizes the
professionalism, commitment and courage that have
made Special Operations Forces the world’s most
respected fighting force,” Olson said.
Olson said the first 14 inductees set a high standard
for the Special Operators who followed in their
footsteps, and he voiced the command’s appreciation
for their actions that helped shape modern day SOF.
“We owe these men our gratitude, and we must
recognize that we in uniform now live in their shadow,”
Olson said of the honorees, who were each nominated
Adm. Eric T. Olson officially inducts retired Master Chief Petty
Officer Rudy Boesch into the SOCOM Commando Hall of
Honor at a ceremony Oct. 27, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
Boesch was the first senior enlisted advisor for USSOCOM.
Photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry W. Carpenter Jr.
for the Commando Hall of Honor by their respective
service components’ commanders from U.S. Army
Special Operations Command, Naval Special Warfare
Command, Air Force Special Operations Command and
Marine Corps Forces Marine Special Operations
Command.
He said the inductees paved the way for SOF
currently fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, and 75 other
Tip of the Spear
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