Contact: Phil Hearn
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Lt. Col. Marcus D. Majure, a Jackson native and 18-year veteran Army officer, is the new head of the military science department at Mississippi State University.
A master aviator and former attack/scout helicopter pilot with the 101st Airborne Division, Majure succeeded Lt. Col. Mark McManigal as professor of military science and head of MSU's Army ROTC program July 5. McManigal was reassigned after three years in the post.
"We are excited to have Lt. Col. Majure return to his home state to join us at MSU," said Philip Oldham, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, administrative home to military science.
"He is exceptionally well-qualified to lead the Bulldog Battalion," added Oldham. "I have every confidence the battalion will continue its strong tradition of excellence under his leadership."
Majure noted that more than one-half of ROTC students at MSU currently serve in the Mississippi Army National Guard or U.S. Army Reserve.
"I am very excited to have the opportunity to return to my home state, surrounded by my family and friends," said the new ROTC leader, a 1982 graduate of Forest Hill High School.
"It is truly a wonderful feeling to know that each day that I am in this command position, my staff and I are responsible for producing lieutenants who will lead others in America's corporate businesses and, most importantly, in the defense of our great nation," he added.
Majure was commissioned as an Army aviation second lieutenant in 1987 after graduating with honors from Delta State University with a degree in commercial aviation. Also a Distinguished Military Graduate of the DSU Army Reserve Officer's Training Corps, he later served in the 101st Airborne Division 1988-92.
Following completion of the Aviation Officer Advance Course in 1992, he graduated as a maintenance test pilot on the Oh-58A/C Scout, the AF-1F Cobra and AH-64A Apache helicopters.
Throughout the 1990s, Majure held a variety of command and aviation staff positions with the 4th Infantry Division, United Nations Command/U.S. Forces Korea and 1st Battalion/10th Cavalry Regiment (also known as the "Buffalo Soldiers") in Kuwait.
He earned a master's degree in human relations administration from Central Michigan University in 2002, and subsequently served as an assistant professor in logistics and resource operations for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He was named military instructor of the year for his department there in 2004.
Majure holds numerous military medals and commendations, and is air assault qualified. He is married to the former Lisa Field of Madison and they have two sons, Taylor, 14, and Hunter, 7.
For more information, contact Lt. Col. Majure at (662) 325-3503, (662) 418-9607 or mmajure@armyrotc.msstate.edu.