Veterans of the 101st Airborne and the 5th Special Forces Group are among six Austin Peay alumni entering the Military Hall of Fame Nov. 6. Who they are, and tickets.

Austin Peay State University will induct six alumni into its Governors Military Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 6. Two of them served in units based at Fort Campbell.

The university named the Class of 2026 in an Oct. 23 announcement. It is the hall’s fifth class since it was set up in 2022.

The hall is housed in the William E. & Sadako S. Newton Military Family Resource Center on campus. The university calls it Tennessee’s largest military student center. The hall honors members of the APSU community with records of extraordinary service or sacrifice, or who have supported the military and veterans.

The six inductees

The details below come from the university’s announcement.

  • Col. (Ret.) John A. Brunt, class of 1983. He enlisted in 1975 and rose to colonel over more than 30 years. He commanded a signal company in Operation Desert Storm. He is from Senatobia, Mississippi.
  • Col. (Ret.) Troy Douglas, class of 1990. He was commissioned through the APSU ROTC program. He ended a three-decade career as assistant commandant of the U.S. Army Signal School.
  • Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Ret.) Charles King, class of 2000. He flew the MH-60 for more than 17 years with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross.
  • Maj. Jacquelyn M. Messenger, class of 2009. She enlisted in 1999 as a medical laboratory technician and earned a Green-to-Gold scholarship to Austin Peay while deployed to Baghdad. She is now chief of blood services at Brooke Army Medical Center.
  • Master Sgt. (Ret.) Joel C. Pruitt, class of 2017. He spent most of his career with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and completed five combat tours in Iraq. He now directs the group’s Pivot transition program.
  • Col. (Ret.) Thomas F. Washer II, class of 1986. He deployed with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) for Operation Desert Storm. In Operation Iraqi Freedom I he commanded a 500-soldier battalion in Baghdad.

The 101st Airborne Division and the 5th Special Forces Group are both based at Fort Campbell, about 10 miles northwest of Clarksville on the Kentucky line.

Pruitt is also president of Special Forces Association Chapter 38. The university said the chapter has helped distribute more than $2 million to soldiers, veterans and families under his leadership.

“Throughout our nearly 100-year history, the military community has helped shape who we are as a university,” APSU President Mike Licari said in the announcement.

When and where

  • Induction dinner: Friday, Nov. 6, in the Morgan University Center Ballroom on the APSU campus. A reception starts at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m.
  • Tickets: $50, sold through the APSU alumni hall of fame page. The evening is also the Military Alumni Chapter Scholarship Dinner.
  • Game day: the six will be recognized at the Governors’ home football game against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Fortera Stadium.

What it means for you

  • Want to go? Buy a ticket through the alumni page before the dinner. The university has not published a sales deadline.
  • Can’t make the dinner? The six will be recognized at the Nov. 7 game against Eastern Kentucky at Fortera Stadium.
  • More on the weekend: our things to do page lists events around Clarksville.