Public Relations

NWACC Foundation unveils George Westmoreland Veterans Affairs Office

BENTONVILLE (Thursday, February 28, 2008) – George Westmoreland spends a great deal of time advocating for veterans, active duty soldiers and their families on the national level.

Thanks to his generosity and compassion for veterans, NWACC will be better positioned in the future to advocate for services to veterans on the local level in The George Westmoreland Veterans Affairs Office.

The NWACC Foundation on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, unveiled the Veterans Affairs Office.

Westmoreland serves as Arkansas’ Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army. In that capacity, he connects the Department of the Army with communities across Arkansas.

Westmoreland also is a long-time supporter of NWACC.

In April 2003, a criminal justice lecture auditorium (Burns Hall 1434) was named in appreciation for his strong and continued support of NWACC through the Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP).

Before that, Westmoreland established in honor of Bill Schwyhart and the late James T. “Red” Hudson a scholarship endowment that benefits business students.

“I wanted to do something for the school in their names,” he said of the endowment, which enables two business students each year to attend NWACC.

“I’m proud of what NWACC’s been able to do for our citizens,” he said. “I’m excited about the potential of the Veterans Affairs Office.”

The Westmoreland Office of Veteran's Affairs will better position NWACC to process veteran education benefit applications and changes, verify course enrollments, coordinate courses of study with academic advisors and maintain student records. It will provide information on scholarships and other benefits for soldiers and their families.

“Our aim is to ensure that all veterans at NWACC are receiving all benefits entitled to them,” said Dr. Michael Kirk, Dean of the Learner Development Center. “We will provide veterans an atmosphere of great fellowship for like-minded individuals and assist in any way in helping veterans realize their full potential in the academic, workplace and in their social circles.”

The Office is located in the heart of the NWACC Advising Center on the second floor of the Student Center.
Westmoreland was named a year ago in March by the Secretary of the Army on the basis of a Congressional nomination Arkansas’ Civilian Aide. Aides promote good relations between the Army and public by acting as spokespersons for and advisors directly to the secretary, he said.

Westmoreland was a distinguished military graduate at the University of Arkansas with a degree in banking and finance. He served as a captain in the Army in Germany and Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star for actions in Vietnam. He is proud of his continued affiliation with the military, supporting veterans, National Guard, reserves, active duty soldiers and their families.

Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army were first formally recognized in 1922 and have since become a vital part of the Army.

“They bring to Americans an understanding of the values of the Army and the sacrifices that soldiers and their families make,” Westmoreland said.

As protocol dictates, Civilian Aides serve as Three Star Generals.

Civilian aides are appointed for each state. They are actively involved in their communities and are usually business or civic leaders who bring to their position an interest in the Army. Once appointed, they serve a two-year term without compensation. To date, more than 500 aides have served the Army.

Westmoreland, a native Arkansan from Hot Springs, retired as Senior Vice President of Merrill Lynch & Company, Inc. of Rogers, after a 25-year career.

He has been active in the Rogers and northwest Arkansas community, having served as chairman of the Rogers United Fund, Rogers Planning Commission, Rogers Airport Commission and on the boards of the Arkansas Air Museum, St. Mary's Hospital Foundation Board, the State of Arkansas Library Commission, Central United Methodist Church Board and first Chairman of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport.

He currently serves on the Board of Advisors at the Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas and the board of the Walton Arts Center Foundation.

For more information on the NWACC Foundation, contact: Jill Wagar, CFRE, Associate Vice President for Development, NWACC Foundation, 479.619.4321

For questions/comments on this content, please contact Jim Hall.