Centenary College honored local veterans, their friends, and their families during the College’s annual Veterans Day Tribute on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The event was held at the Hargrove Memorial Amphitheatre, where Maj. Gen. Ty Neuman, commander of the Eighth Air Force and Joint-Global Strike Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base, delivered the keynote address.
Neuman leads “the Mighty Eighth,” which oversees the Air Force’s bomber force and airborne nuclear command-and-control assets. The command includes about 24,000 airmen at six installations and operates more than 150 aircraft. He took command in November 2025. He is no stranger to northwest Louisiana: from 2016 to 2018, he commanded Barksdale’s 2nd Bomb Wing, and he most recently served as director of strategic plans, programs, and requirements at Air Force Global Strike Command.
Neuman was commissioned through Colorado State University and later earned graduate degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School and the National War College. He is a B-52 and B-1 weapon systems officer with more than 3,100 flight hours, including 294 combat hours. He has deployed in support of operations Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. His staff assignments include the National Security Council at the White House and the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.
Each year, Centenary’s solemn ceremony honors the service and dedication of all veterans. Former Centenary President Donald A. Webb, who served in the Royal Navy during World War II and turned 100 this year, led the opening prayer. The Centenary College Choir performed, and veterans among Centenary’s students, faculty, administration, and staff were recognized.