The Auburn Speaker Series has added another speaker that has close ties to the University.
University Board of Trustees member, 1986 Auburn
The lecture will be held the day prior to Auburn’s home game against Ole Miss which is also the University’s sixth annual Military Appreciation Day.
Austin will be introduced in the Alumni Center by retired Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess, Auburn’s senior counsel for research security and cyber initiatives. Austin and Burgess have a combined 79 years of service to the U.S. Army.
Austin is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and holds master's degrees from Auburn University in education and Webster University in business management. Austin was confirmed as a member of the Auburn University Board of Trustees in January.
Austin’s 41 years of service most recently includes being commander of U.S. Central Command from March 2013 through March 2016 where he was responsible for the 20-county Central Region that includes Iraq, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
He was also the Combined Forces commander in Iraq and Syria. Austin has extensive operational experience, having commanded troops in combat at the one-, two-, three- and four-star levels. During his last deployment, he served as a four-star general and commander of United States Forces-Iraq from September 2010 through December 2011. He later served as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.
Austin has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Auburn University and the Distinguished Graduate Award from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He is a member of the Council
He and his wife, Charlene, also an Auburn graduate, live in St. Petersburg, Florida. They have two sons.
Austin’s speech will be held Friday, October 6 at 3 p.m.
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