Rotary Spoke 03/23/15
Posted by Don Mahoney
on Mar 23, 2015
Adjutant General, Military Unit, of the Massachusetts National Guard, Major General L. Scott "Catfish" Rice Speaks to Rotary
.jpg)
On a very cool spring day of March 23, 2015, 23 Rotarians, 1 guest, and 1 speaker met for a luncheon of beef stew, lamb stew, cold cuts and cookies.
Pledge was led by Michelle G. First verse of America by PP Dan. The invocation by PDG Jack. Welcome song was led by Charlie V.
Raffle gifts were donated by Eagle Bank, Patriot Community Bank, Walpole Cooperative, People’s United Bank, Arlex Oil, Ace Hardware and Encharter Insurance.
Happy dollars were given by PP Don M. in honor of his Dad receiving the French Medal of Honor, Treasurer Donna for her father’s 82nd birthday, and Steve K for his Panama vacation.
President Dave announced that there were 33 entries into March Madness, which means $330 for the Rotary Club. On Patriots’ Day we will again be hosting the “Old Guard” at Brookhaven and will need help collecting Senior Sand Buckets. During Patriots’ Day we will also be providing Face Painting in the Center. PP Dan B announced that there are 10 tickets remaining for the Comedy Night. He also asked for silent auction gifts and ads for the program booklet.
The speaker today was Major General L. Scott “Catfish” Rice. Major General Rice is currently assigned as The Adjutant General, Massachusetts National Guard. General Rice oversees the administration and operation of the Massachusetts National Guard to ensure troops are trained, equipped and mission-ready to support national security objectives as well as protect life and property and preserve peace, order and public safety as directed in times of natural disaster and civil emergency.
General Rice was commissioned in 1980 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York. Following graduate school, he attended pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, receiving the pilot badge in 1982 and later serving in England where he flew the F-111 Aardvark.
Before General Rice joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing in 1989 to fly the A-10 Thunderbolt II he was a pilot for United Airlines, from which he is on leave to the Massachusetts National Guard. He then served as Squadron Commander, Operations Group Commander, Wing Commander, and Air National Guard Commander. He mobilized numerous times since 1995, including deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq. He also served as the Commander, Air Force Forces, Exercise Eastern Falcon in the U.S. Central Command Area of Operations where he supervised F-16 units deployed to Kuwait in 2004, to Jordan and Oman in 2005, and to Pakistan in 2006. General Rice currently serves on the Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force as well as Secretary of the Adjutants General Association of the United States.
The General commands 9,000 soldiers that have been activated for emergencies from a 10 foot water piper break, to hurricanes, and most recently to shovel railroad tracks for the T. in Massachusetts and deployed overseas.
DKM