Georgia Military College (GMC) recently held its 2024 Hall of Heroes luncheon and inducted 1Lt. Michael Norse Maynard as just its ninth member.
The GMC Foundation opened its Hall of Heroes in 2021, which according to GMC Deputy Director of Communications Deana Thornton, “provides an opportunity to recognize distinguished alumni from the GMC Corps of Cadets with the highest institutional award.”
“The GMC Hall of Heroes pays tribute to an alumnus of the GMC Corps of Cadets who has demonstrated extraordinary service to our nation while bringing honor to Georgia Military College,” said Thornton by email. “This serves as a special recognition for alumni and their families.”
To be inducted, individuals must be a member of the Corps of Cadets, which includes GMC Preparatory School’s (GMC Prep) 9-12 grade students and/or GMC Junior College enrollees, or they must have earned a diploma from GMC Prep or an associate degree from GMC and served the nation in one of the Armed Services. That final criterion requires they “distinguish self through demonstrated exceptional actions in service to our nation,” said Thornton.
Additionally, Thornton pointed out several other considerations, including leaving GMC in good standing; actions in service to the country, either military or civilian; demonstrating extraordinary servant leadership; performing significant civic actions that led to notably positive impacts on the country; and showing leadership and sacrifice above and beyond the normal call of duty.
Based on these criteria, among other key factors, a committee then selects recipients who are inducted during an annual Hall of Heroes luncheon. As of April 2024, current GMC Hall of Heroes inductees include: Lt. Col. William L. Turner, Maj. Gen.
William P. Acker, Lt. Gen. Max W. Noah, Col. Thomas Torrance, Dr. James Baugh, Maj. Joseph Richard Uhler, “The Honorable” Powell Moore, 1Lt. Louis “Chap” Ashmore, and 1Lt. Michael Norse Maynard.
Inducted heroes are preserved on the GMC Hall of Heroes webpage at alumni.gmc. edu/hall-of-heroes-inductees. There, each of the inductees’ names, with their official titles and the year each was inducted, can be seen. By clicking a name, visitors to the website can view the biography and photograph of each inductee.
“We can never repay these gentlemen for their service, but we will forever be grateful, and their legacies will always live on at Georgia Military College,” states the Hall of Heroes webpage.