Lieutenant General Meade among 3 officers to join the CGSC International Hall of Fame

Story by: Ftleavenworthlamp.com Staff Writer- Katie Peterson

Three international officers were inducted into the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) International Hall of Fame (IHOF) in a ceremony April 4 in the Lewis and Clark Center’s Eisenhower Auditorium. Their portraits now hang in the International Hall of Frame hallway alongside 280 other inductees representing 75 different nations.

The newest inductees are Gen. Bari del Valle Sosa, chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of Argentina, CGSC class of 1995; Gen. Bipin Rawat, chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, CGSC class of 1997; and Lt. Gen. Rocky Ricardo Meade, Chief of Defence Staff, Jamaica Defence Force, CGSC class of 2003.

“Each achieved (IHOF) eligibility by distinguishing themselves in service to their home nation and by rising to the highest position of uniformed leadership in their respective country’s militaries,” said Brig. Gen. Troy Galloway, interim Army University provost and interim CGSC deputy commandant. “(IHOF) inductees represent the absolute pinnacle of professional achievement as senior uniform leaders.

“The leaders that we induct today represent the finest traditions of the (CGSC),” he said. “Their respective efforts furthered the readiness of their militaries, the security of their nations, and the stability of our world. I’m extremely proud of the bonds forged here at the college and the lasting partnerships established between our nations.”

Meade joined the Jamaica Defence Force in 1984.

He is responsible for conceptualizing and implementing multiple projects including the Flight Safety Programme, the Jamaican Military Museum, Library/Internet Café, the JDF Language Lab, the JDF Farm, the JDF Technical Training Institute, the Accreditation Project, the Caribbean Grand Strategy Seminar, the All Arms Magazine and the Moneague Papers. He has also launched the Caribbean Military Academy and the Caribbean Journal of Strategic and Security Studies.

Meade was appointed to his current position in December 2016. He is the second Jamaican officer in the IHOF.

“His leadership is indispensable to the modernization of the Jamaica Defence Force,” Galloway said. “Jamaica lays proud claim to being the first country to participate in the United States National Guard’s States Partnership Program, which now includes 81 nations that participate, and they proudly continue their partnership with the District of Columbia National Guard. We are deeply honored for the opportunity to recognize Lieutenant General Meade.”

Meade said he believes all learning experiences are valuable, and as a result, he said he had a few thoughts to share with the current CGSOC class.

“Own at least one problem in every job you take on that will define you; set goals that are possible to accomplish; create a plan but be patient, especially if you’re not yet in command; identify your key enablers and don’t compromise it; you don’t have to win every scrimmage; select loyal staff; make friends because enemies will make themselves; know your enemies’ vulnerabilities even more so than their strengths; make time for family; and cheer success but own the failures,” Meade said.

“(This honor) has meant a lot to me…and it all came about because of the several things I learned here from the academic program to the interactions with families and just the way we do business here.”

During their induction, the honorees were presented with a Life Constituent Certificate from Galloway and an eagle statuette from the CGSC Foundation.

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