Barrye Price’s military career took the next step Friday, at the same spot where it all began.
“I began my Army journey along with my best friend, Valentino Murphy, on the field behind you some 31 years ago last week,” Price, deputy commanding officer of U.S. Army Cadet Command, said after his promotion to the rank of brigadier general.
Price first set foot on Fort Knox in 1980 for what was then ROTC Basic Camp, the course that today is known as the Leader’s Training Course. Since graduating the course, he has traveled the world, held numerous positions and earned a number of awards.
To LTC Cadets, Price stands as an example of how far graduates can go.
“I have been blessed with more promotions and recognitions than I expected or felt deserving of,” Price said in his speech at Cadet Park in front of the command’s headquarters.
But not all of Price’s accomplishments have been military related. He served on President George W. Bush’s “Raising Responsible and Resourceful Teenagers” task force in 2000, and was a member of President Clinton’s “Mississippi Delta Task Force” from 1999 to 2000.
And while the promotion ceremony Friday was all about his future, Price was mostly interested in thanking those who had helped him in the past.
“I’m pleased to see people from every assignment that I’ve had over the last 26 years of active service,” Price said, before devoting the remainder of his remarks to thank his “village of family, friends, mentors and advocates.”
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, commander for U.S. Army Accessions Command, conferred the promotion upon Price and praised him in his remarks.
“Barrye Price is without a doubt one of the finest officers I’ve ever had a chance to serve with,” he said.
Freakley also highlighted Price’s educational accomplishments, which include a doctorate from Texas A&M;University.
“Our Army talks about lifelong learning,” Freakley said. “Barrye lives and demonstrates that lifelong learning.”
As part of the ceremony before 161 members of his extended family, Price was presented with his Congressional record, a commemorative shell casing, a personal general officer flag and a general officer belt and pistol.
At a reception for family and friends afterward, Price reflected on his initial days at what is now the Leader’s Training Course. He showed up for training just five days after graduating from high school.
“I had no idea what it meant, what it was going to mean,” he said.
Price said that the six-week program felt “like an eternity.” And while he had the discipline going into it, he originally lacked the maturity.
“I was a kid,” Price said. “I’d just turned 18 years old seven days before.”
After LTC, Price went to a junior military college for a year before being accepted to the University of Houston.
“My skills at LTC were what allowed me to excel at ROTC,” he said.
Today, both Price’s office and his nearby home look out over the field where he graduated 31 years ago.
“It’s humbling because it allows me to see God’s blessing and how far I’ve come from the empty vessel that I was,” Price said.
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