GMC News
MG Peter Boylan to be Grand Marshal of Parade
Grand marshal represents local school
Major Gen. Peter Boylan, president of Georgia Military College, will serve as grand marshal of this weekend\’s Christmas parade. (Amy H. Mullis – The Union-Recorder)
Major Gen. Peter Boylan, president of Georgia Military College, hopes his participation as grand marshal in this year\’s Christmas parade will bring a message beyond that of GMC\’s 125th anniversary.
Boylan said he was honored by the invitation from the Exchange Club, but having served more than 30 years in the U.S. Army, Boylan wants his presence in the parade to lead people to think about the men and women serving in the military today.
\”I think that because of the situation that the United States finds itself in terms of its efforts in the Middle East and Afghanistan and Iraq and the fact that we have really tens of thousands of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen deployed in harm\’s way, I looked at this as an opportunity to represent all of these people who are participating in our democracy in a very, very personal and a very, very dangerous way,\” he said.
Several members of the Exchange Club said Boylan was selected as grand marshal in an attempt to honor the school\’s anniversary. Boylan said he appreciated the recognition for the school and said he thought recognition of it and for the troops overseas go hand-in-hand.
\”I think that the two will go together nicely because Georgia Military College, throughout its history, has produced any number of people who have served their country in a variety of capacities,\” he said. \”So I thought it was certainly thoughtful of the Exchange Club to view this as an opportunity to recognize GMC\’s 125 years of existence. Personally, I see it as a way of essentially (participating) to honor all of the people who are doing their duties for our country.\”
Boylan has served as president of GMC since 1992, the same year he retired from the U.S. Army. His focus in the capacity of president of the school has been on character building as an integral part of education, a four-fold growth in institution funding and a substantial increase in the number of students on GMC\’s six campuses. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in 1961, and served two tours in the Republic of South Vietnam.
Currently, he serves on the board of trustees for GMC, the GMC Foundation and the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy. He serves as chairman of the academy selection committee of the 11th Congressional District and 3rd Congressional District of Georgia. He also chairs the board of directors for the Oconee River Greenway Authority.
Boylan said he will ride in the parade in his uniform and hopes that in itself will send a message to parade goers.
\”I hope that the message is the message that my presence conveys in uniform that, yes, I represent GMC but I also represent many others of our nation\’s youth who are serving in a variety of capacities around the world. So hopefully the message will be to give cause for thought to those people who are viewing the parade.\”
