Hill College honors veterans at second annual Medal of Honor Brick Ceremony at the Texas Heritage Museum

  Jessyca Brown
  Tuesday, November 21, 2023 8:01 AM
  Texas Heritage Museum

Hillsboro, TX

On November 13, 2023, Hill College held its annual Medal of Honor Memorial Brick Ceremony at the Texas Heritage Museum on the Hill County Campus in recognition of the service of retired Colonel Michelle Bryant; retired Hospital Corpsman Third Class Dr. Dawn Cox; retired Technical Sergeant Luke (Scott) Glasscock; and retired Corporal Samuel M. Mills.

“America is indebted to the families and friends of the servicemen who stood, and continue to stand, behind our country’s heroes. The bricks presented today continue that commitment of gratitude and the museum is grateful not only for the service today’s honorees gave to this country but also for preserving the memory of all of those who have served in the past and those who continue to serve,” said John Versluis, executive director and chief curator of the Texas Heritage Museum.

Bryant enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 1986 as a medical supply specialist. During her time in the Reserves, she held several positions and was ultimately assigned to a full-time position in the Deputy United States Property and Fiscal Office with the Texas Army National Guard. She has been honored with numerous awards and decorations, including the Legion of Merit award, the Combat Action Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with four leaf clusters, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Texas Governor’s Unit Citation, the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal, the Texas Combat Service Ribbon, the Texas Federal Service Medal, the Texas Faithful Service Medal, the Adjutant Generals Individual Award, and the Army Superior Unit Award.

She is a lifetime member of the National Guard Association of Texas and Veterans of Foreign Wars and volunteers for the White Haven Canine organization rescuing shelter dogs and training them to be emotional support dogs for veterans.

Dr. Cox, who is an instructor of nursing and coordinator for the Nursing Program at Hill College, joined the Navy in 1991. She was initially stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina in the hospital division. In 1993, she reported to Rota, Spain, where she met her husband. It was there that she received her EVOC license.

Dr. Cox also served on the NASA Space Shuttle Team in Madrid and was one of the members responsible for assuring the shuttle did not need to abort their mission. She was honorably discharged as a Hospital Corpsman Third Class.

Glasscock, who is the recruitment specialist at Hill College, enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1987 as a munitions system technologist. During his time in the Air Force, Glasscock served in Panama, Columbia, and the Middle East in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He went on to serve as a non-commissioned officer leading airmen in nuclear and conventional weapon defense in Turkey, Kuwait, at Enduring Freedom Base X, and Noble Eagle in Fort Worth, Texas. During his last tour, he oversaw combined forces strikes in Northern Iraq and Syria. In 2019, Glasscock was honorably discharged with the rank of Technical Sergeant.

Mills received several draft deferments during college. One month after getting married, however, he was drafted in the Korean War in 1952. He attended basic training at Camp Gordon in Georgia. In 1953, he received dial central telephone training while at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, later going to Anchorage, Alaska, for dial central installation. In 1954, he served as a technical draftsman in Washington, D.C. Mills was honorably discharged from the United States Army Signal Corps with the rank of Corporal.

During the ceremony, Hill College President Dr. Thomas Mills thanked the four honorees and all those who have served this country. “We live in an amazing country and are blessed to live here. Safety does not come free. We, as citizens who benefit from those who have and continue to serve, need to say thank you more often. This ceremony doesn’t do justice to all who serve, but it is a continued effort to do so,” said Dr. Mills.

The Texas Medal of Honor Memorial was erected in 2008 and is a living memorial honoring native-born Texas veterans, including Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of World War II, and Samuel Dealey, the most decorated sailor of World War II.

If you are interested in sponsoring a brick in honor of a loved one, please contact the museum at 254.659.7750 or visit www.hillcollege.edu/museum/join-give.