A man described by U.S. President Ronald Reagan as “an American hero” said he sees hope for the future in the “Spirit-empowered leaders” being educated at the University of Mobile (UMobile).
Lt. Col. Oliver North praised the university during his keynote address at the 9th annual University of Mobile Leadership Banquet, held March 27 at the Mobile Convention Center. More than 800 people gathered for the event.
North served 22 years as a Marine officer. His awards for service in combat include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for valor and two Purple Hearts for wounds in action. He has authored 13 books, all New York Times best sellers.
Assigned to the National Security Council staff in the Reagan administration, North was the U.S. government’s counter-terrorism coordinator from 1983 to 1986. He was involved in planning the rescue of 804 medical students on the island of Grenada and played a major role in the capture of the terrorists who hijacked the cruise ship Achille Lauro. Since 2001, he has been the host of “War Stories.”
During the banquet, North emphasized the importance of preparing the next generation for leadership.
“Every student that I met (at UMobile) has been intent on gathering the skills and tools that they need to help change the world,” he said. “That effort is important not just to the city of Mobile, not just to the state of Alabama, but it’s important to this country.”
North spoke about the importance of role models, noting a senior military officer served as his role model and ultimately paved the way for his own relationship with Jesus Christ.
(UMobile)
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