Gen. Hal M. Hornburg presented his personal reflections on his multiple decades of service.
His presentation included several videos highlighting the various activities of the Air Force. A question-and-answer session followed.
Hornburg, commander of the Air Education and Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas, graduated from Texas A&M University's Air Force ROTC program in 1968.
He then went on to climb the leadership ranks, commanding at all levels of the Air Force.
Air Force Capt. Deron Hurst, a UNC instructor of aerospace studies, said Hornburg could provide the cadets with insight into the opportunities available to them after ROTC. "He is an ROTC graduate himself and has a huge amount of experience," he said. "But at the same time, he has been in the position of these cadets. Hopefully, he will build upon the lessons we teach here and give some inspiration as well."
Cadet JoAnn Todd, a UNC freshman physics major from Fayetteville, said she hoped to gain guidance from hearing the general speak. "I'm going into the military after this, and everyone wants to be a general," she said. "I wanted to see everything he went through to get there."
During his speech, Hornburg acknowledged the cadets' commitment to ROTC and encouraged them to maintain their dedication. "I applaud you for coming this far and reaching this point," he said. "Our vision is to prepare you to come and do something for your country that you don't even have in your mind's eye today. We need your can-do attitudes and eager spirits."
Hornburg expressed the need for the young cadets to be persistent in their endeavors. "When you are on the right path and a door closes in front of you, have the tenacity to kick on the door until it opens," he said.
He went on to stress the opportunities for personal and professional growth available to the cadets. "There wasn't ever any challenge I didn't have the capability to overcome because of my training and the people around me," he said. "(In the Air Force), there is not one single event, but a cumulative series that causes growth and maturity."
