SMU Athletics

Michael Okon – honored 11/5

Michael was born and raised in Dallas graduating from Hillcrest High in 1964. He entered the US Navy Reserve after on year of college, and was stationed at Little Creek, Virginia after which he did a Mediterranean tour on the USS San Marcos. He was in the reserves from 1965 until 1971.  
 

Alan Stalarow – honored 11/12

Alan joined the Air Force on January 8th, 1971 and attended basic training in San Antonio. Alan went on to Basic Electronics at Kessler Air Force Base and then to Chanute Air Force Base for weather equipment sets training. He was stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio for the remainder of his term.  
 

Jack Cannedy – honored 11/16

Veteran Staff Sergeant Jack Cannedy on his 50th anniversary of serving in Vietnam. At 17 Jack enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and reported for duty in Vietnam in October 1969 as a photo imagery interpreter.

He was assigned to First Marine Aircraft Wing, Photo Imagery Interpretation Unit in Danang, Vietnam and was issued flight skins to fly with the Air Force for observation and to assist combat units from air to ground support. 

Jack was pulled out of Vietnam and served the rest of his tour in Okinawa, Japan. After his first active duty discharge, he reenlisted in the US Marine Corps active reserves and was stationed in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Jack’s eldest son, Jeremey Cannedy, recently retired from the US Air Force after serving 20 years with tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. For the Cannedy family, we are grateful!
 

Doyle Tracer – honored 11/27

After completing hand-to-hand combat training, Sergeant Doyle Tracer Deployed to Vietnam with the 554th Squagron, the Red Horse Combat Engineering Group where their major responsibility was to provide a rapid and self-sufficient response force to repair critical Air Force facilities and systems specifically in hostile environments. 
 

Ann Scott – honored 11/29

Ann, a West Point graduate, was commissioned in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. As an active duty U.S. Army officer, Ann led multiple engineering and construction projects in several countries around the world. Today, Ann is the Senior Director of Energy, Engineering, and Store Planning for 7-Eleven. She is an active member of 7-Eleven's Veterans Outreach Organization, and is both a role model and mentor for young leaders.
 

Jonathan Reece – honored 12/3

Jonathan is a Veteran of the United States Air Force, where he operated ground to air threat simulators for the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School. Additionally, he partnered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to conduct drug interdiction missions with low level flying aircrafts. Jonathan spent several years assigned to the 554th Range Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, where he was the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge the Airborne Defense Section. 
 

Cleve Hardman – honored 12/7

Cleve is a Navy veteran and a very active SMU alumni. His time in the Navy brought him around the world with ashore assignments in Sicily, Oslo, Crete, Mogadishu, and Port Au Prince, and afloat tours on the USS Valley Force and USS Boxer.  Cleve has received Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Commendation Medal; Navy Commendation Medal; Joint Achievement Medal; Navy Achievement Medal, and numerous unit and campaign awards. 
 

Cherish Ashby – honored 12/23

Cherish served in the United States Air Force for six years and did one year in the Texas Air National Guard. She was a Maintenance Management Analyst stationed at Tyndall, Osan Air Base Korea, and the Eglin. She named maintenance analyst of the year twice. 
 

Cash Birdwell – honored 1/1 

Longtime SMU athletic trainer Cash Birdwell served in the United States Army prior to his arrival on the Hilltop. Birdwell’s service included assignment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. While there Birdwell was the athletic trainer for the Cadet’s basketball team under head coach Bobby Knight with team captain Mike Krzyzewski. After his Army service Birdwell had a long tenure as the head athletic trainer at SMU which resulted in honors as a selection for the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame and the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame.
 

Larry Hughes – honored 1/8

Larry, a graduate of West Point, served as a Field Artillery Officer from 1986 to 1994.  He served in a variety of assignments in the 2nd Armored Division and in the Kansas Army National Guard.  His experiences include command assignments of two separate Field Artillery batteries.
 

Tyrone Tobias – honored 1/18

Lieutenant Colonel Tobias was commissioned through the ROTC program at Saint Paul’s College and served in the United States Army Reserves with assignments including service with Joint Forces Command as the Officer in Charge of the Crisis Action Team. He currently leads military-focused initiatives with his role at 7-Eleven.
 

Juan Rios – honored 1/21

Juan spent 4 years in active duty followed by 4 years in the Army Reserves. He started as a Missile Systems Repairer and deployed to Iraq in 2011 where he was part of Operation New Dawn. He recently received his Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering and is now working on his Master's in Sustainability and Development, both at SMU. He is a proud member of the SMU Mustang Band, Hilltop Motorsports, Theta Tau Engineering Fraternity, and Omega Delta Phi Fraternity.
 

Rube Glover – honored 2/1

Rube served from 2009 - 2012 as an information technology specialist in the 112 Signal Battalion Special Operations Airborne. Serving two tours in Afghanistan spanning from 2010 - 2012.
 

Leonard Hogan – honored 2/12

Leonard served in the US Navy from 1988 to 1997. During his service, he was assigned to the USS Kitty Hawk Aircraft Carrier, spent two tours in the Persian Gulf, participated in Operation Restore Hope, and completed assignments with Southern Watch, and WestPac. His decorations include the Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal, and the Southwest Asia Medal. He continues his service today as a law enforcement officer with the United States Federal Reserve System.
 

David Strachan – honored 2/15

David was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the U.S.Army through Claremont McKenna College’s Army ROTC program. He was a Medical Platoon Leader and a Hospital Chief Information Officer. served as a Captain in a tank battalion. He spent 6 ½ years on active duty. 
 

Raymond Rodriguez – honored 2/25

Army Veteran Raymond Rodriguez is a beloved husband and father of seven. He proudly served in the United States Army for 13 years. Raymond sustained and has since recovered from injuries during his time in Iraq and is a Purple Heart recipient. 
 

Ed Star – honored 3/1

Ed entered the Navy in 1943 and in 1944 sailed into action in the Pacific theater of World War Two. Their ship earned two battle stars after battling in the largest naval battle of the war at Leyte (lay-tay) Gulf and the last major battle of the war at Okinawa. Prior to the war, Ed received a scholarship to play offensive end on the 1942 SMU football team. In November he celebrated his 96th birthday!