VMI superintendent to speak to Eagle Scouts

Gen. J.H. Peay III Monday, February 7, 2011 By MORRIS STEPHENSON - Staff Writer Gen. J.H. "Binnie" Peay III, superintendent of Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, will be the keynote speaker at the Boy Scout Eagle Club Recognition Dinner on Thursday, Feb. 17 at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. A reception will be held at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner at 6:45. Peay is a native of Richmond and a 1962 graduate of VMI. Peay was an Eagle Scout and was later recognized as a Distinguished Eagle Scout. His father was an Eagle Scout, and both of his sons attained the rank. The retired four-star general was named superintendent of VMI in November 2002, and assumed his duties on July 1, 2003. He is only the 14th superintendent in the institute's history. Peay is also chairman of the Allied Defense Group and a director of BAE Systems Inc. He is a trustee of the George C. Marshall Foundation, National Defense University and the VMIﾠFoundation. During his career, he assumed command of the 101st Airborne Division in August 1989, and led the division throughout Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. After promotion to lieutenant general, Peay was assigned as the deputy chief of staff for operations and plans with the Department of the Army and the United States Military Committee, United Nations. He was promoted to the rank of general in March 1993, and appointed the 24th vice chief of staff of the United States Army. His last assignment was commander-in-chief of the United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. His responsibility was a region encompassing 20 countries in Africa, Middle East, Persian Gulf and South Asia. He and his wife, Pamela, have two sons, Jim, a 1998 graduate of VMI, and Ryan, a 2002 graduate. For more information, call Boy Scout District Chairman Eric Ritzen at 484-3837.