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Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor of Troy University, has been selected as the 12th recipient of the Armed Forces Merit Award presented annually by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

Coordinated by the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl staff, the Armed Forces Merit Award was created in 2012 “to honor an individual and/or a group with a military background or involvement that have an impact within the realm of college football.”

Dr. Hawkins was announced as the recipient today during a mid-day Sports Center on ESPN, after being selected from a group of six finalists by a committee of seven FWAA members and two representatives from the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. Dr. Hawkins was interviewed while visiting university partners in Vietnam. In 2008, TROY became the first U.S. university to award the baccalaureate degree in that country. Today, the University enrolls more than 1,000 students and has graduated more than 1,500 alumni in Vietnam

“I’m completely humbled to receive this award,” Dr. Hawkins said. “It was a great honor to serve our country. I know that freedom isn’t free, and I have great appreciation for those who serve and have served. For me to be even mentioned for an award like this is an honor and extremely humbling. Serving our country was a wonderful experience for me. There were certainly challenges, but I received far more from that experience than I gave.”

Troy University’s service to the military spans more than 75 years. Under Dr. Hawkins’ leadership, that commitment has continued to grow through initiatives such as the TROY for Troops Center, which was created to meet the needs unique to the military-affiliated student, and the Military and Family Scholarship for active-duty military or reserves and their spouses or dependent children. Most recently, the University announced today the establishment of a 10 percent tuition scholarship to all veterans and their families.

TROY is consistently recognized as a leading institution for members of the military and veterans by such publications as U.S. News and World Report, GI Jobs, Military Times Edge, Advanced Military Education, and more.

Dr. Hawkins is a member of the College Football Playoffs’ Board of Managers as a representative for the Sun Belt Conference and has been the Chancellor of Troy University since September 1, 1989, making him the longest-serving CEO of a public university in the nation.

Upon completing his bachelor’s degree in 1967 from the University of Montevallo, Hawkins was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and served as a platoon leader during the Vietnam War. He received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and a citation from the Korean Marine Corps for his combat duty.

Troy University Director of Athletics Brent Jones said Troy University is a leader in service to the military due to Dr. Hawkins’ visionary leadership.

“Dr. Hawkins has dedicated his entire adult life to serving the people of the United States Armed Forces, first as a lieutenant and platoon leader in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and then as an advocate for our military members and their families during his professional career as a higher education administrator,” Jones said. “Because of Dr. Hawkins’ visionary leadership, Troy University has an exemplary relationship with the United States Armed Forces and is a leader nationally in providing educational opportunities for our service members. On behalf of Troy Athletics, our fans, our staff and our student-athletes, I congratulate Dr. Hawkins on this well-deserved recognition for his lifelong devotion to our military.”

Brant Ringler, executive director of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, and Andrea Adelson, 2024 FWAA President and ESPN.com national college football reporter, congratulated Dr. Hawkins as the 2024 recipient of the Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the FWAA.

“From the first time I met Dr. Hawkins at a conference, I was impressed with his credentials and felt he was a worthy nominee for the award,” said Ringler. “Dr. Hawkins is a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient. He oversaw his school’s transition in the early 1990s to Division I competition. He continues to serve on the College Football Playoffs board of managers.”

Adelson added: “In this time of the changing dynamics in intercollegiate sports, Dr. Hawkins’ experienced leadership with all aspects of higher education has proven invaluable. He is the longest-serving chief executive officer of a public university in the United States, making his voice, thoughts, and perspective invaluable as we move forward into a new landscape for college football and all intercollegiate athletics.”

Former Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson, who served in the role from 2012-2019, said Dr. Hawkins was a fitting recipient for the award.

“Jack Hawkins epitomizes this award with his long-time commitment and dedication to higher education, the military, and the sport of football,” Benson said. “As the commissioner of three FBS conferences over the past 30 years, I have worked with 50 universities, over 70 presidents, and Chancellors. When asked if I had a favorite, I quickly said it was easy – Jack Hawkins.”

Past recipients of the Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the FWAA include Nate Boyer of the University of Texas (2012), Brandon McCoy of the University of North Texas (2013), Daniel Rodriguez from Clemson University (2014), Bret Robertson of Westminster College (Fulton, Mo., 2015), Steven Rhodes from Middle Tennessee State University (2016), Dr. Chris Howard from Robert Morris University (2018), Army West Point assistant coach Mike Viti (2019), Collin O’Donnell of Bluefield College of Virginia (2020), Damien Jackson of the University of Nebraska (2021), the Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation (2022) and Tyler Huff (2023).