By Sid Hall, Military Affairs Coordinator / ROTC Program Manager

NATCHITOCHES – In continuing its tradition of honoring those who serve in the nation’s Armed Forces, Northwestern State University named Colonel Frank Hall, U.S. Army Retired, the honorary captain during the Oct. 1 football game.

Colonel Hall received his commission from Western Carolina University in 1985.  After 28 years of military service, he retired in December 2013. He now serves as the director of Institutional Effectiveness and associate professor for the graduate program in Homeland Security and the undergraduate program in Criminal Justice for Northwestern State.

A military intelligence officer, he served on all levels of command from Platoon Leader to Company, Battalion and Brigade Commander.  His final military assignments were Deputy Director, Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate, United States Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, Fort Huachuca, Arizona; CJ2, NATO Training Mission / Combined Security and Transition Command – Afghanistan; J2 for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Defeat Organization, Arlington, Virginia; and Senior Intelligence Advisor to the Iraqi Joint Headquarters and Armed Services, Iraq.

Colonel Hall served 42 months in combat. Select operations and deployments include Panama 1989; Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm: Saudi Arabia 1991; Operation Joint Forge: Bosnia, Hungary 1999; Operation Allied Force: Albania, Italy, Kosovo 1999, 2003; Operation Iraqi Freedom: Task Force Danger, Tikrit, Iraq, 2004-2005; Operation Iraqi Freedom: MNSTC-I, Baghdad, Iraq, 2007-2008; and Operation Enduring Freedom: NTM-A/CSTC-A, Kabul, Afghanistan, 2011-2012. His badges and tabs include the Recruiter and Army Staff Badges, Senior Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, and Combat Action Badge.

He hails from Fayetteville, North Carolina, and holds a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, a Master of Science in Management from Saint Mary College, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Western Carolina University.

Colonel Hall was escorted by Dr. Marcus Jones, President of Northwestern State University.