CLARKSVILLE, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) has announced four inductees into the APSU Governors Military Hall of Fame Class of 2025, to be honored during a reception and induction dinner on Friday, Nov. 7 in the Morgan University Center ballroom.

The Governors Military Hall of Fame, established in 2022, is housed in the William E. & Sadako S. Newton Military Family Resource Center, Tennessee’s largest military student center. It honors members of the APSU community, living or deceased, who have served in the military with records of extraordinary service and/or sacrifice to the nation, or who have demonstrated dedicated support and substantive contributions to the United States military and veterans.

“These four exceptional veterans represent the very best of what Austin Peay stands for — leaders who carry our values of service and excellence into their military careers,” Austin Peay President Mike Licari said. “Their remarkable service demonstrates the strong connection between our university and the military community. Whether as graduates who began their leadership journey here or as supporters who share our commitment to service, each of these inductees embodies the transformational impact that comes from dedication to both education and our nation’s security.”

Colonel (Ret.) Ernest DeWald

Col. Ernest DeWald, DDS, served with distinction in the U.S. Army Dental Corps for 22 years (1972-1994), establishing himself as a pioneering leader in military dentistry and forensic identification. DeWald served in critical staff assignments at the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Pentagon, Fort Bragg, and Fort Campbell. His expertise in forensic dentistry proved invaluable during national tragedies, including serving on the forensic dental team that identified 252 remains from the 1985 Gander, Newfoundland disaster.

DeWald’s most significant military achievement was designing and directing the one-year general dentistry residency program at Fort Campbell, which continues today and earned him the Legion of Merit. Following retirement, DeWald continued serving as a dental post-mortem mortuary officer for National DMORT IV Team, responding to Hurricane Floyd, Hurricane Katrina, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His philanthropic support of Austin Peay State University includes fully endowing the Josephine and Bill DeWald nursing scholarship and making a significant commitment toward nursing education in the new Health Professions Building, where the DeWald-Volpe Nursing Simulation Laboratory bears his name.

Major (Ret.) Lance E. Richardson (’89)

Maj. Lance E. Richardson’s military career exemplifies exceptional dedication, spanning 22 years of distinguished service from enlisted soldier to commissioned officer. A 1989 graduate of Austin Peay State University with a Bachelor of Science in biology, Richardson achieved the remarkable distinction of being named the top Army ROTC cadet in the nation among 8,217 senior cadets. Richardson’s military journey began in 1979 as an enlisted infantryman with the elite 1st Ranger Battalion, earning honor graduate recognition at the Army’s prestigious Ranger School in 1980.

After earning his commission in 1989, Richardson immediately deployed to combat as a rifle platoon leader with the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. His distinguished officer career included assignments with the 1st Armored Division in Germany and deployments to multiple former Yugoslav republics supporting the Dayton Peace Accords. Richardson’s commitment to military education led him to serve as an instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he taught chemistry, biology, and molecular biology. Upon retirement in 2004, Richardson returned to West Point as a Department of the Army civilian, serving as laboratory program director overseeing all laboratory and support functions until his retirement from teaching in 2023. He now resides in Albany, New York.

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) James M. Walker Jr. (’81)

Lt. Col. James M. Walker Jr. exemplifies distinguished service through over three decades of military, government, and business leadership. A Tennessee native who attended Austin Peay State University on an Army ROTC scholarship, Walker graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. During his senior year at APSU, Walker served as cadet lieutenant colonel and cadet commanding officer of the Governors Guard ROTC detachment and was the first APSU student awarded the prestigious George C. Marshall Award, given to an outstanding senior ROTC cadet nationwide.

Walker’s 21-year military career included prestigious assignments ranging from combat units to highly sensitive positions in Washington, D.C. His exceptional service led to selection for the elite 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), where he served as company commander while detailed as an aide to President Ronald Reagan. Walker’s career pinnacle came with his selection as aide-de-camp to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral William J. Crowe Jr., and he subsequently served as operations briefer to Gen. Colin Powell during Operations Just Cause and Desert Shield. Post-retirement, Walker served as Alabama’s first director of Homeland Security, managing over $200 million in public grants and earning five national awards for government innovation.

Colonel (Ret.) William N. “Ted” Wootton

Col. William N. “Ted” Wootton’s distinguished Air Force career spans nearly 39 years of service, from enlisted airman to senior officer. A Clarksville, Tennessee native and Austin Peay State College attendee (1964-1966), Wootton enlisted in February 1969 during the Vietnam War. After serving 12 years as an enlisted avionics technician achieving the rank of technical sergeant, Wootton was selected for Officer Training School and commissioned as second lieutenant in 1981. His distinguished 26-year officer career encompassed the full spectrum of maintenance leadership positions.

Wootton’s operational achievements include commanding the maintenance operations for Operation Restore Hope in Mogadishu, Somalia, and serving as commander of the 100th Aircraft Generation Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, U.K., during Operation Allied Force, flying 1,139 mishap-free sorties. His final assignment as director of aircraft maintenance at HQ Military Airlift Command involved establishing maintenance policies for 1,028 aircraft at 58 worldwide locations, overseeing 36,000 personnel. Wootton retired in February 2008 with 38 years and 11 months of active duty, earning numerous decorations including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, and Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters.

Celebrating the Inductees

This year’s Military Hall of Fame and Military Alumni Chapter Scholarship Dinner celebration will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7 in the APSU Morgan University Center Ballroom, followed by a 6 p.m. induction dinner. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at www.alumni.apsu.edu/halloffame25. The Class of 2025 honorees will also be recognized at the Governors football game against Central Arkansas on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Fortera Stadium.

“Each of these inductees has demonstrated exceptional courage, leadership, and dedication throughout their military careers,” said retired Army Maj. Gen. Walt Lord, APSU’s vice president for Military and Veterans Affairs. “As we welcome them into our Military Hall of Fame this Veterans Day weekend, we honor not just their individual achievements, but the legacy of service they represent for our entire military community.”

To learn about the APSU Governors Military Hall of Fame and past honorees, visit www.alumni.apsu.edu/govsmilitaryhalloffame. For questions about the Military Hall of Fame reception and induction dinner, contact the Office of Alumni and Engagement at 931-221-7979 or alumni@apsu.edu.