Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general and Redstone Arsenal senior commander, provides remarks during the North Alabama Clyde Foster STEM/Black History Program at Columbia High School in Huntsville, Alabama, Feb. 7.

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education has become increasingly popular in the 21st century as innovation rises. Many STEM-related fields have the necessary skills, talent, diversity and potential to lead AMC’s workforce into the future.

Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general and Redstone Arsenal senior commander, was a guest speaker for the North Alabama Clyde Foster STEM/Black History Program at Columbia High School Feb. 7. During his remarks, Mohan encouraged over 300 Huntsville City middle and high school students to find their purpose.

The program also honors Black History Month, and recognizes Black Americans in careers that span academia, industry and government such as Dr. Clyde Foster. Foster served as Alabama A&M’s Director of Computer Science Center, which allowed students to train for and graduate with a degree in computer science, the first such degree offered in Alabama.

“We are here to honor the legacy of Dr. Clyde Foster and to celebrate African American achievements in the field of STEM. And today is about finding your purpose.”

Mohan shared his story of what lead him to a successful career in the Army as a three-star general. After graduating high school, he attended two different community colleges trying to discover his passion in life.

“In some cases, people would say I graduated just by the skin of my teeth. Most people told me ‘You probably just need to stick around. You don’t need to go to college. You can make it.’ I didn’t have a purpose and I was bumbling around.”

College was a rare feat in the town just outside of Carthage, North Carolina and employment in the tobacco industry was a popular job choice among the population of about 1,500 where Mohan grew up. Mostly everybody he knew was a part of tobacco, including his dad.

One day, Mohan was offered a chance to attend college at Appalachian State University where he says he was in search for various things. He joined the National Guard to help pay for college, where he would find it was right where he needed to be.

“I was going to stay in three years and when I got into the National Guard, but I said this might be something that’s good for Chris Mohan. Not only did it give me a way to pay for college, but it gave me a sense of belonging. It gave me a sense of pride.”

“I wouldn’t be standing here today if I hadn’t taken the opportunity to join the Army and said you know I’m going to go to the Army because I think maybe the Army has something to offer me and I have something to offer the Army, which is service to my country. Along the way I discovered my purpose.”

Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general and Redstone Arsenal senior commander, provided remarks during the North Alabama Clyde Foster STEM/Black History Program at Columbia High School in Huntsville, Alabama, Feb. 7.

At the conclusion of the program, students interacted with demonstrations, drones and simulators from various local STEM programs and organizations in attendance.

“These organizations that are giving you the opportunities to connect with people – these people are here to help you find your passion. If you want to talk about the opportunity to be a Soldier in the U.S. Army the biggest team of our nation.”

Redstone Arsenal offers a variety of STEM-related jobs. Mohan explained how the Army wants to continue to build the bench with STEM graduates who have the necessary skills, talent, diversity and potential to lead the Army into the future.

“The Army is made up of more than just Soldiers. We offer more ways to serve your nation than by wearing a uniform. It looks like we are going to add 6,000 new jobs on the Arsenal and a vast majority are going to be STEM related. If that’s your passion – if that’s what you want to do, go for it.”

As the senior commander of Redstone, Mohan is responsible for shaping the installation’s strategic vision. With over 40,000 employees that work at the installation, Redstone has grown into a Federal Center of Excellence with more than 70 organizations from the Army, NASA, Department of Defense and the FBI.

“If you serve your country no matter what you do – in a civilian capacity or uniform – it will change your life,” Mohan said.