Editor: Shannon Cottongame
October 27, 2021
Fort Graham Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution officials are pleased to announce that the featured guest speaker for the Veterans Day celebration at Lake Whitney Senior Center will be an accomplished Army Command Sergeant Major hailing from Whitney.
Having graduated Whitney High School in 1987, CSM Shawn Edwards entered military service in 1987, completing basic and engineer training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He is the son of Marsha Riley, active local auxiliary volunteer in Whitney and Hill County.
A graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, CSM Edwards’ military occupational skills include crane operator, heavy equipment operator and field artillery cannon crewman. He holds Bachelor and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington.
CSM Edwards currently serves as the Division Command Sergeant Major for the 95th Training Division. The 95th provides drill instructors for the U.S. Army Reserve. Previous assignments include: Heavy Equipment Operator; Drill Sergeant; First Sergeant; Engineer School Sergeant Major; and Battalion/Brigade Command Sergeant Major. He mobilized to Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 2003 and deployed as a Combat Advisor to Iraq in 2009.
CSM Edwards currently lives in Dallas with his wife, Janell, where he is a Program Analyst with the U.S. General Services Administration. He enjoys traveling, hunting, fishing, backpacking, snowboarding and woodworking.
He will return to his hometown of Whitney to present the guest speaker address Thursday, November 11, at 11 a.m. The community-wide event is being co-sponsored by the Fort Graham Chapter, NSDAR and the Whitney Posts of the American Legion #522 and the VFW #12176.
All veterans and their families and the public are invited to attend.
The Lakelander 