Inspirational Officer to be VMI’s First Leader in Residence
LEXINGTON, Va., Jan. 21, 2010 – U.S. Army Lt. Col. Gregory Gadson has been named the first leader-in-residence at Virginia Military Institute’s Center for Leadership and Ethics. Gadson, who lost both of his legs in a roadside bomb blast in Iraq in May 2007, is now attached to the Army Medical Department’s Wounded Warrior Program.
As leader-in-residence, Gadson will spend two weeks on post during spring semester, March 22-26 and April 12-16, interacting with cadets and faculty in a variety of formal and informal settings. He will also give an address on ethical leadership that will be open to the public.
“Gadson emphasizes with clarity and emotion that everyone has the capacity to get back up after a fall,” said Brig. Gen. Charles Brower IV, professor of history who taught Gadson at the U.S. Military Academy. “He speaks to the interplay of an assertive self-reliance and the importance of teamwork, which was crucial in his own survival.”
“You don’t get to pick your circumstances,” said Gadson. “It’s your obligation to be your best no matter what you’re asked to do.”
Still serving active duty in the Army, Gadson recently completed a master’s degree in policy management from Georgetown University and is a fellow at the Institute of World Politics.
In Iraq, Gadson commanded the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery. He has served in every major conflict of the last two decades, including Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Kuwait, Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. His awards include three Bronze stars, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.
The Leader-in-Residence Program each year invites a current or former leader in government, military, business or other profession to spend two weeks at the Institute in order to allow cadets and faculty to explore the full range of leadership issues such leaders have faced during their careers.
“The program allows cadets and faculty to test their understanding of leadership concepts and appreciate how they have been used in practice,” said Brower. “It is one component of the leadership and character development programs associated with VMI’s new Center for Leadership and Ethics.”
