The Black & Gold

November 11 | Issue 10 | Black & Gold 2020

Alumni & friends,

On this Veteran's Day, I am reminded of the selfless service of so many of our alumni, faculty, staff, students and family members.

It takes a special human being to put others ahead of themselves. Those of you who have served in our nation's armed forces have protected the freedoms we enjoy today, and for that we owe you a debt of gratitude. You understand and clearly hear the call to serve others, to serve your country.That is a true act of patriotism, a true act of selfless service.

Today, let us all take a moment to honor our veterans, let us pray for those defending us now, and let us never take for granted the sacrifices they’ve made for us. We live in the land of the free because it’s the home of the brave.

We have so many alumni who have served, and today I would like to share just a few with you in this special edition of the Black & Gold. If you have served in our nation's armed forces, we certainly want to hear your stories, you can share them with us at alumni@uncp.edu.

Sincerely,

Robin Gary Cummings, MD

Chancellor

Changing Lives Through Education

UNCP Student Veteran Salute: U.S. Army Sgt. Darius Barnes

Darius Barnes always knew he wanted to be an educator. By age 12, he was volunteering in the Sunday School nursery. Years later, he helped mold young minds as a YMCA counselor in his hometown of Hampton, Virginia.

When financial troubles while a student at Virginia Commonwealth, forced him to put his educational career on hold, Barnes joined the Army. He served eight years, including a year stationed with the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea, then returned to the states to pick up where he left off. In the summer of 2018, at age 34, Barnes moved to Pembroke and enrolled in the Elementary Education program at UNC Pembroke.

As a military-affiliated student, Barnes said the faculty and staff, including the Office of Academic and Military Outreach, was committed to his success from day one.

UNCP ALUMNI VETERAN SPOTLIGHTS

Caleb Malcolm, United States Air Force

A native of Pembroke, Malcolm received his commission in the United States Air Force in 1997. Malcolm’s military service ended in 2017, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel.

After 20 years of service as a communication and cyber officer supporting the global Air Force network culminating in oversight for the information technology operations of Air Force installations in the Middle East, Caleb returned to his home region in North Carolina to join the local electrical cooperative.

Caleb most recently served as the President of the UNCP Alumni Association.

Jesse Oxendine, United States Army

Jesse Oxendine graduated in 1951 with a degree in education. Before attending UNCP, he served with distinction in the United States Army's 82nd Airborne Division. During his service in the Second World War, he was part of the unit that liberated Wobbelin concentration camp in Germany.

While at UNCP, he was the quarterback for UNCP’s first football team 1947-1951. After UNCP and military service, Oxendine became the first licensed Native American pharmacist and owned Kings Drugs in Charlotte for 40 years. He was instrumental in returning football to UNCP and served as a chairman of UNCP Board of Trustees.

Charlyne Jacobs, North Carolina Army National Guard

Charlyne Jacobs enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1999 and began her commissioned service in 2003 after graduating from Officer Candidate School. She served in a variety of leadership positions, including platoon leader, battalion personnel officer, company executive officer, company commander, engineer plans officer and operations officer. During her first deployment, Jacobs served as one of only 10 women out of 4,500 officers.

Jacobs received her bachelor’s degree from UNCP in 1998, and a Master of Business Administration from Trident University in 2008. Read more about LTC Jacobs.

Brigadier General Allen J. Jamerson, United States Air Force

Brigadier General Allen Jamerson (Ret.) General Jamerson was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force in 1986 after his graduation from UNCP and participation in AFROTC. His distinguished military career includes a long list of assignments, awards, decorations and accomplishments. He earned his promotion to Brigadier General in 2012. Upon his retirement in 2016, Gen. Jamerson was director of Security Forces, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He was responsible for ensuring the physical security of Air Force nuclear assets, and planning and programming for over 37,500 Active-Duty and Reserve security forces worldwide. General Jamerson currently serves on the UNCP Board of Trustees. Read more about his career and service.

Roy Bacot, Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force

Roy Bacot joined the United States Air Force after his 1993 graduation from UNCP having been involved in ROTC on campus. While in the Air Force, Bacot completed pilot training and a C-17 during the Iraq war, then the war in Afghanistan. Bacot retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2015 and began a professional career as a commercial pilot. Read more about Roy Bacot’s story in the Spring 2019 issue of UNCP Today.

To all of our UNCP alumni and friends

A special Veteran's Day message from your Chancellor