Roger Donlon Chapter Welcomes Ambassador Miller
Fort Leavenworth - Roger Donlon Chapter, FAOA
Members of the Fort Leavenworth - Roger Donlon Chapter, FAOA, gathered on the afternoon of 22 March 2023 to “meet and greet” Ambassador (retired) David Miller, who was visiting Fort Leavenworth at the invitation of the Army University Press and the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) Foundation.
The event, held at a local restaurant, brought together 16 active duty and retired FAOs, their spouses and friends in an informal atmosphere to share experiences and support professional interactions.
Ambassador Miller retired in 1990 from his government career, which included a year in Vietnam with the Advanced Research Agency, service on the National Security Council staff, and Ambassadorship in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. He is currently a member of the Atlantic Council and is the Council’s first Brent Scowcroft senior fellow.
The Donlon Chapter secretary welcomed all who were attending, after which Ambassador Miller expressed his appreciation for support he had received from military officers, and especially FAOs, throughout his government service. “I could always count on [FAO officers] to get things done,” he said.
An additional highlight of the event was presentation of special recognition to one of the Chapter’s members who was retiring from government service. Colonel (retired) Dale Slade, until his retirement the senior FAO at Ft. Leavenworth, presented the Infantry Branch “Order of Saint Maurice, Patron Saint of the Infantry” to Colonel (retired) Tom Wilhelm. Colonel Slade reminded those FAOs present that they have a basic branch as well as their FAO specialty, and presented the award on behalf of the Chief of Infantry. This is Colonel Wilhelm’s second retirement. After completing his military career, he has been the Director of the Foreign Military Studies Office at Fort Leavenworth’s Combined Arms Center.
One of the benefits of the Chapter’s event was reaffirming connections between the CGSC Foundation and the Simons Center for Ethical Leadership and Interagency Cooperation, a fully-funded program of the Foundation. Donlon Chapter members form a pool of subject matter experts available to support Foundation and Simons Center programs in regional studies, interagency aspects of national security and other topics. In past years, Donlon Chapter FAOs have supported panel discussions both at CGSC and at several different locations, as well as an annual CGSC student writing competition for the Simons Center.
The COVID pandemic, although diminishing its impact in the Fort Leavenworth area, remains a limitation on Chapter activities. Colonel Slade’s successor as senior FAO at Fort Leavenworth, Colonel Joseph Williams, was unable to attend the March due to exposure to COVID-19. As the pandemic recedes, Chapter members look forward to returning to a more robust schedule of activities.
Gary Hobin, Donlon Chapter Secretary