DAHLONEGA - The University of North Georgia's Department of Athletics has announced the kick off of its award-winning Operation Nighthawks of Honor initiative as it recognizes service members who were former or current UNG students.
The initiative, which is the annual announcement of UNG Athletics' yearlong tribute to the nation's armed forces, will honor Retired Chief Warrant Officer Adam Stead. The 2002 graduate of North Georgia served in the US Army from 2003 through 2011. During his time in Dahlonega, Stead was a member of Alpha Company while pursuing his degree in Criminal Justice.
A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Stead served as an infantry officer in the 101st Airborne Division from 2003-05 before becoming a helicopter pilot from 2005-11. On September 8, 2009, Stead was shot while flying a security mission in Afghanistan over the Shuryek Valley.
Surviving the shot, Stead retired from the US Army in 2011 and now serves as a banker in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The seventh annual Operation Nighthawks of Honor ceremony will be held later this academic year with all proceeds from the initiative will be donated to the UNG Boar's Head Brigade Corps of Cadets Endowed Scholarship Fund to which Nighthawk Athletics has donated over $3,700 since the initiative's inception on the 14th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
One of only six federally designated senior military colleges in the nation, UNG is The Military College of Georgia and its nationally recognized Army ROTC program attracts students from across the state, region and nation.
UNG has commissioned more than 50 General Officers, ten of whom are currently serving in a variety of command positions including: Commander (Third Army/ARCENT), Commander (XVIII Airborne Corps), Deputy Commander (U.S. Army Europe), Commander U.S. Cyber Command and many more. Many other alumni of UNG completed successful military careers and hundreds are currently serving on active duty today at all levels of command.
Stead comes from a family of military members. His mother, Elizabeth, served as a Lieutenant Colonel; his sister, Maura, was a Sergeant Major; and his brother, Dan, is a retired Colonel.
Stead is married to his wife, Carrie, and the couple has two sons, Cohen and Eli.
