ETSU Army ROTC inducts four into Hall of Fame
Published 8:51 am Wednesday, November 13, 2019
JOHNSON CITY — The U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at East Tennessee State University inducted four individuals into the ROTC Hall of Fame during a special ceremony held earlier this month. The ETSU ROTC Hall of Fame recognizes alumni, former cadre members and others who have distinguished themselves professionally and have made significant contributions to the program.
Those inducted into the ROTC Hall of Fame include:
• Col. Gladwyn Bowlin — Bowlin was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Military Intelligence Corps upon his graduation from ETSU in 1973. He completed the military intelligence officer’s basic course at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., and then served as a battalion intelligence officer, brigade assistant intelligence officer and assistant brigade adjutant in the First Brigade for five years. During this time, Bowlin also completed a master’s degree in human relations from Pacific Lutheran University. Following active duty, Bowlin served in the Army Reserve and as an Army civilian in positions of increasing responsibility. In 1989, he was selected to serve as the information security officer for U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) and led a team to produce the first classification guidance for operations Desert Shield and Storm. In 1998, Bowlin was awarded the Individual Making the Most Significant Contribution to the Worldwide Department of Defense Antiterrorism Program for exemplary service to the Army and the Military Intelligence Corps. Later, he worked as the Department of Defense liaison to North Carolina for military assistance to civil authorities. In this position, Bowlin and Air Force Col. Robert L. Barber were credited with outstanding service in September 1999 for aiding an inland air evacuation of over 2,000 victims caught in floods from Hurricane Floyd. Bowlin retired from the Army Reserve in 2003 and continued to serve in FORSCOM Headquarters in a variety of positions while earning a second master’s degree in public administration from the University of Georgia. He was chief of the Security Division for nearly a decade, a position he held longer than any other individual in the history of Forces Command, before his retirement in July 2014.
• Capt. Donald Crowe — Crowe was a member of the East Tennessee State College Class of 1959 and commissioned as a second lieutenant of the Artillery Branch of Service. His outstanding performance as an ROTC cadet earned him the honor of Distinguished Military Graduate. He attended the Artillery Officers Basic Course at Fort Sill, Okla.; Nike Ajax Missile School at Fort Bliss, Texas; and Jungle Warfare School in Panama. Crowe passionately served as an Army Officer in his career until the sudden death of his father changed his plans. Upon returning home to Johnson City, Crowe’s final Army assignment was to serve as an ROTC instructor at ETSU from 1962-65. Crowe was the first graduate to return as an ROTC cadre member. Upon receiving an honorable discharge in June of 1965, he remained in Johnson City to take over the family business and became owner and operator of Broadway Motel until his retirement.
• Maj. Gen. Dennis V. Crumley — Crumley received a Regular Army Commission in Armor from East Tennessee State College in 1961 and served 33 years with various command and staff assignments in the United States and overseas. Crumley’s staff assignments included two tours at Fort Knox, one on the staff of the Armor School and as secretary of the general staff from 1973-76, and he served as a member of two special task forces. He later served as chief, Training Support Division, Training Directorate ODCSOPS, HQ, DA, and chief of staff, 3rd Infantry Division. Crumley also served as assistant division commander, 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea, and culminated his career as deputy commanding general, 2nd U.S. Army, serving as the All Forces Commander for incident and recovery efforts during Hurricane Andrew. Crumley was a graduate of the Armor Basic Course, Infantry Officer Career Course, Armed Forces Staff College and Army War College. He also earned a master’s degree in history at the University of Alabama. Crumley’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal, the Parachutist Badge and the Ranger Tab.
• Lewis Runnion — Runnion served as an enlisted soldier and commissioned officer in the Army, attaining his commission from the ETSU ROTC in 1988. Runnion then spent an additional five years in the Army Reserve after he was honorably discharged from active duty. Runnion then entered the workforce initiating government and private partnerships, such as the first Social Impact Bond focused on veteran employment programs. Discovering a need for veteran entrepreneurs to access low-cost capital, Runnion helped to build national programs to make capital available through Community Development Funds. Through these efforts, Runnion built some of the most recognized post-9/11 veteran programs in America. Runnion also cofounded Eleven 09, LLC, to deliver innovative solutions to American businesses, government agencies and philanthropies, helping them develop transformative programs impacting active military, their families and the nation’s veterans. As senior vice president of public policy and director of military affairs at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, he oversaw initiatives that assisted military veterans and their families with needs related to financial services, education, employment and housing. During his career, Runnion helped construct workforce development programs that added more than 8,000 veterans to the work force. Runnion has been the lead architect in the allocation and management of tens of millions of dollars of philanthropic partnerships, taking close care to align outcome-based programs with strong, integrated marketing and communication strategies for the organizations and communities that he serves.