ROTC to Induct Three New Members into its Hall of Heroes
JONESBORO – The Department of Military Science will induct three new members into the ROTC Hall of Heroes at the 27th annual ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 9 a.m. in the auditorium of the Reng Student Union.The three to be honored with the prestigious recognition are Col. Jarrell “Jay” Hamby, a native of Mansfield, who will be inducted posthumously; retired Col. Samuel “Sam” Holloway, a native of Arkadelphia; and retired Col. Stanley “Stan” Sims, a native of Crawfordsville.Following the ceremony, placards will be hung in the Hall of Heroes by the inductees or their family representatives present. Those being recognized include two A-State ROTC alumni as well as a former assistant professor of military science.Special recognition of the honorees will be held during halftime at the 2 p.m. Red Wolves game against Texas State at Centennial Bank Stadium.
Col. Jerrell “Jay” Hamby began his military career with the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served in the 1st Regiment, 1st Marine Division in the Korean War. A 1958 graduate from what is now known as Arkansas Tech University, Hamby later worked as an assistant professor of military science at A-State in the late 1960s.
While serving as deputy commanding officer for training at the National Training Center in Ft. Irwin, Calif., Hambry died when his jeep overturned in a training area. The Order of Hamby, known as the Grizzly Star, was established as an internal reward for the 32d Guard Motorized Rifle Regiment.
A recipient of numerous honors, Hamby was awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with V device for Valor (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Air Medal with V device (numeral 11), Purple Heart (5 OLC), and Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and Aircrewman's Badge, in addition to foreign awards which include the Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry at both the division and army levels.
He left behind his wife Wanda DuMond Hamby, son Jerrell E Hamby Jr., both of Harker Heights, Texas, and sons Stevens Hamby of Little Rock, David Hamby of Wheatland, Wis., Kurt Hamby of Weaverville, N.C., and sister Shirley Magie of San Marcos, Calif.Col. Samuel “Sam” A. Holloway earned a Bachelor of Science at A-State in 1980, where he was commissioned as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He went on to graduate with two master’s degrees one from Clemson University and one from the United States Army War College. He retired after dedicating 27 years of active service to the U.S. Army.He retired from active duty in 2008, finishing his career serving as the chief of logistics operations, U.S. Central Command where he was deployed to Qatar, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He was highly decorated during his career, receiving the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (7 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), Multi-National Force and Observers Medal (numeral 2), Overseas Service Ribbon (numeral 3), Air Assault and Basic Parachutist Badge, as well as various ribbons for his overseas service. A member of the A-State Alumni Association, Military Officers Association of America, and Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, Holloway is also a lifetime member of the 25th Infantry Division and 101st Airborne Division Associations.Col. Stanley “Stan” L. Sims has provided more than three decades of combined years of military and civil service. A 1979 A-State graduate, Sims was commissioned as a Distinguished Military Graduate and into active duty as a military intelligence officer. He earned two master’s degrees, one from Central Michigan State University and the other from the National Defense University.He has been deployed to Saudi Arabia, Haiti and Bosnia-Herzegovina while on active duty. He finished his 26 years of service in uniform as the intelligence division chief, force development directorate of materiel, for the Department of the Army at the Pentagon. After retiring from the Army in 2006, Sims led the development of the Joint Intelligence and Operations Center while working for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. He retired from public service as a Senior Executive Service (SES-3) director of the Defense Security Service, to which he was appointed by the Secretary of Defense.Honors he received include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (5 OLC), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, NATO Medal, and Saudi Arabia-Kuwaiti Liberation Medal, Kuwaiti Liberation Medal. He also earned the Senior Parachutist Badge and was awarded the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Civilian Service in 2009. His wife, LaVerne Williams Sims, is a 1980 A-State graduate.
