According to inside sources, Raymond Odierno will be the guest speaker at December’s commencement.  Odierno was the Commanding General for the United States Armed Forces in Iraq until September 1, 2010.  He served for two years as the Commanding General.  

Odierno began his second tour of duty in Iraq in 2006 as the second in command for the troops.  General Odierno also commanded the 4th Infantry Division during its deployment to Iraq from April 2003 to March 2004.

According to Chancellor Randy Woodson, administration at the University is excited by the chosen speaker.

“General Odierno is an outstanding leader,” Woodson said. “We’re really excited to be able to have him speak at the ceremony.”

Getting General Odierno to speak at the commencement ceremony wasn’t hard, according to Woodson.

“It was really just a matter of asking him,” Woodson said.  “It helped that we have General [Henry Hugh] Shelton though.”

Woodson said the administration asked Shelton to make the first contact with Odierno.

“After General Shelton made the first contact with General Odierno, it was just a matter of us asking him to speak at the ceremony,” Woodson said.

Odierno received his master’s degree in nuclear engineering from N.C. State in 1986.

“General Odierno is credited with doing a lot in Iraq to reduce the security threat,” Woodson said.