General Petraeus Speech to USC ROTC Tuesday
Media Advisory
Retired Gen. David H. Petraeus will give the keynote address before more than 600 guests at USC’s annual dinner for veterans and ROTC students, hosted this year by USC Board of Trustees Chairman Edward Roski and USC President C. L. Max Nikias.
WHERE: Westin Bonaventure Hotel, 404 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA, 90071. Very limited space for vans on 5th Street on a first-come, first-served basis. No live feeds. Valet parking is available at no charge. Surface parking is available nearby for a fee.
WHEN: Media check in is on the second floor and begins at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. Cameras must be in place by 8:45 p.m. The throw to the lectern is 100-120 feet.
WHO: Retired Gen. David H. Petraeus, architect and namesake of the counterinsurgency doctrine that stabilized Iraq under U.S. and allied forces and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), will visit USC on March 26 to honor the university’s long commitment to veterans and ROTC students.
“In our post 9/11 world, Gen. Petraeus’ influence on our military is unmatched, and his contributions to the CIA are far-reaching,” Nikias said. “Gen. Petraeus completely reshaped American military tactics, and promoted our nation’s counter-insurgency strategy.”
MORE: USC has maintained a decades long history of support for veterans and the military. The university became a training school for Army officers during World War I and expanded its role during World War II, serving as a naval preparatory flight cadet school and hosting Army, Marine Corps and Navy training programs.
“We have always taken tremendous pride in our men and women who are part of the United States military,” Nikias has said. “They arrive at USC with a broad view of the world and its complexities, they want an education and skills, and they want to succeed in life.”
USC has maintained an unbroken, decades-long relationship with ROTC. Short for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, the ROTC program at USC was founded in 1943 and currently numbers 130 future officers in four branches — Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy. Graduates of the program join their military branch as officers.
USC also enrolls approximately 450 veterans per semester, supporting their return to civilian life through the USC Veterans Association, the USC Veterans Certifying Office, Transfer and Veterans Student Programs and other initiatives.
The Schoen Family Scholarship Program for Veterans Endowment, which has assisted close to 200 students since its creation in 1986, was established with a $15 million donation from USC trustee William J. Schoen ’60, MBA ’63 and his wife Sharon. This scholarship provides additional support for veterans studying at the USC Marshall School of Business and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
For more information, go to https://news.usc.edu/#!/article/48185/gen-petraeus-to-visit-usc/
RSVP BY COB MONDAY FOR PRIORITY ACCESS: Call 213-740-2215 or email marziali@usc.edu.
