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, the administration at the University is excited to have chosen and solidified that Odierno is speaking at the December commencement ceremony.

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

General Odierno was chosen as the commencement speaker for two reasons, according to Thomas Stafford, vice chancellor of student affairs. 

“We chose him, number one, because he is a N.C. State alum, and number two, because he has reached a very high level or responsibility in the U.S. Military,” Stafford said.  “Not many people achieve the level of a 4-star commanding general.  In the military, that is a very prestigious accomplishment.”

“There are not many universities who can say that one of their own achieved the level of a 4-star commanding general,” Stafford said.

According to Stafford, Odierno has just finished a tour of all forces in Iraq.

“In the military point of view, he has been in charge for two years,” Stafford said.  “He has been the commander who is responsible for beginning to phase out forces in Iraq, which is one of the most important assignments.”

The whole process of asking General Odierno to speak at the December commencement was not 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.

According to Stafford, this is an honor for the University.

“This is really prestigious opportunity for N.C. State,” Stafford said.  “To have a 4-star general who has a degree from N.C. State and the commander of military operations in Iraq for the last two years.  It’s an honor for the University to have a person of his standing and responsibility.”

Odierno is excited to speak at the University, Stafford said.

“I do know he is very excited that we invited him.”