The Lee S. Smith ’65 Courage and Honor Award honors alumni who demonstrate courage, honor, perseverance and justice in the communities to which they belong by using their voices and actions to affect measurable change to elevate humanity.
For more than two decades, Colonel (COL) Cedric G. Lee ’96 has dedicated his life to public service, leading troops, and planning operations across the globe, including Korea, Germany, Israel, Iraq, and Afghanistan. As a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, he has built a career defined by integrity, empathy, and deep respect for the men and women under his command.
Currently serving as Brigade Commander of the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, COL Lee leads a force of more than 3,500 troops stationed across multiple combat zones overseas. In this position, COL Lee plays a key role in coordinating the rapid redeployment of air defense equipment and personnel across the region.