General’s statue unveiled at Special Operations Museum

By Sgt. Tony Hawkins
USASOC PAO

Photo by Sgt. Tony Hawkins/USASOC PAO From left: Lieutenant Gen. John F. Mulholland, USASOC commanding general; Gen. (Ret.) H. Hugh Shelton; H. Ross Perot; Tony Chavonne, Fayetteville mayor; and Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg commanding general, pose in front of the newly-unveiled statue of Shelton after a ceremony Aug. 27, at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville.

Servicemembers and civilians from all walks of life gathered Aug. 27, at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville to celebrate the career and life of one of the U.S. Army’s most respected veterans with a statue dedication ceremony.

General (Ret.) H. Hugh Shelton, who ended his military career of 38 years in 2001 after spending the last four years of them as the 14th chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, was honored in the ceremony with the unveiling of a bronze statue of himself.

“This is by far the most humbling experience that I have ever had, bar none,” Shelton said. “Standing here in the shadow of this magnificent statue, there are only two words that come to mind: ‘Wow’ and the other is ‘thanks.’”

Shelton, a Special Forces veteran who served with the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam, has also served as the commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps and the U.S. Special Operations Command.

Shelton thanked all who were involved with making the statue possible, though he expressed particular gratitude to H. Ross Perot, who was also in attendance.

As a long-time friend of Shelton, Perot said he felt something had to be done to remember his service. Reading an inscription from the book of Isaiah that is on the base of the statue, Perot commented on how it was reflective of Shelton’s life.

“‘Here am I, send me.’ That’s what he has done through his entire career and since he’s been retired,” Perot said. “First to go, first to volunteer, first to take the risk and first to get the job done.”

Tony Chavonne, mayor of Fayetteville, also spoke words of admiration for Shelton, who is a native of North Carolina.

“He’s a Soldier’s Soldier and a role model for all those who aspire to be leaders, no matter their walk of life,” said Chavonne. “General Shelton’s entire life, from the tobacco fields of North Carolinian to being knighted by the Queen (of England) has been, and is, about leadership and about caring for people.”

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