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service to the nation, there have been Kappa’s who took us under their wing and showed us how to operate in the world. Without a doubt, becoming a Kappa saved my life and my brother Lawrence who is also a member of our noble clan. My only wish is that we understand at the undergraduate and in some graduate levels that all of our fraternities and sororities are there to make us all successful. This is not a competition to see who is top because our communities need all of our help to make the mission happen. 4) General Officer. As you can see, I think I keep my priorities pretty straight (most of the time). By the time I finished college, I was bought in to serve our nation just like I learned about service to our Lord and Savior and to our family and our fraternity. The phrase, Achievement in every field of human endeavor told me everything that I needed to do in the Army. All Army officers must rise up through the ranks to get to the general officer level. I have been blessed to serve as a general officer for 13 years of the 35 years of service, making the general officer ranks with 22 years of service
looks like today is as valid as it was in the past. As a leader we have the responsi- bility to mentor those that are coming behind us just as those who helped us get to this point. There is no difference in the process but more in the execution today. Many times our sessions will end up being executed virtually vs. going to see someone in person.” Gen. Smith was shaped by both familial and professional mentors. “From the familial perspective, all of the aunts and uncles who saw something in a young man from Atlanta that I could not see at a young age. I include church people in that group as family. My first job was with Thomas Cleaning Service ran by Deacon William Thomas. At the age of 14, I learned what it meant to have your own business, work hard and give back to the community. I saw that earlier in one of my uncles, Curtis Smith, who had his own barbershop and community store.” From the professional perscpective he credits leaders from noncommissioned officers and commissioned officers as well as his experiences at Ft. Bragg as
pivotal in his development as an Army leader. “Generals Via, Austin and MG Abe Turner were probably the most in- fluential in my ability to see around the horizon. Abe Turner had to corral this young officer who did not think it was important to go visit a senior mentor. I am not sure where I would be today if he did not tell me to ‘meet someone new everyday.’ That small word or phrase of advice changed and is changing who I am everyday. In reflecting on the impact of being a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Smith stated, “After my relationship with Christ and meeting Vanedra, Becoming a Kappa was the most changing and uplift- ing events that have happened in my life. One might argue that the birth of a child is more important and I agree but becoming a Kappa helped me develop into the man that I that takes all that I have been blessed with and use it to help others. Many people understand the concept of “those who have been given much, much is required of them.” In my view when you help others, that allows you and your family and extended family to be blessed. Learning that in guide right as an Undergraduate at Georgia Southern
to the nation. I knew this before, but I real- ized just as with the other topics you listed above, is that you are placed in these posi- tions to help others and not just yourself. As to the significance of faith, family sup- port, mentorship and fraternity General Smith stated, “I think the significance of family support mentor- ship remains critical in the success of any leader. I mentioned many of those points earlier but in my view
was key. I knew how important it was due to working at our local church but the scale scope and options were unpatrolled to what I see today. That is the formula.
Take care of others
and you will be blessed. Period.” φν π Supplemented by published reports
the ingredients of what a 2021 leader
THE JOURNAL ♦ FALL 2021 | 27
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