Shout out to my Haitians:Haitian American Officer Inducted into Army Hall of Honor

Maryse Jean-Pierre King’s dream was to become a physician.But years later, King has given up the goal of making rounds in a hospital hallways. Instead she has taken up arms in the United States armed services and last month, King was inducted into the Army ROTC’s Hall of Honor. “When you’re a little Haitian girl growing up, you don’t think ‘I’m going to be a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army,” she said, with a chuckle. Lt. Col. Maryse Jean-Pierre King stood among two dozen officers inducted into the Army ROTC Hall of Honor at Lock Haven University, her alma mater in Pennsylvania. During the college military officer recruitment program recognized King for her service to the Army in the past three decades. Three weeks later, from her office in Fort Knox, Ky., King still sounded in awe during a telephone interview. “It felt, ‘wow,’” she said. “Thirty years earlier, if you had asked anyone if I’d be the cadet to come back, it wouldn’t have been me. “But every step of the way, it became a challenge, and it was like ‘Oh yeah, I can do that,’” King, 51, said of the military’s tasks. “You just break down the pieces. It [ROTC] definitely made me Army strong. The physically and mentally grueling, daunting training for Reserve Officer Training Corps students was only the first of many obstacles she’s successfully combated during a military career that’s taken her across the globe, built her confidence and given her the adventure she craved. Being one of the first female officers in leadership positions was another, as was taking on “the most dangerous jobs”, one mentor said. The order and discipline instilled in King as a child in Haiti also drew her to the military branch all those years ago at Lock Haven. They have also kept her serving-- through the intense travels, a marriage, then divorce, raising two children and one retirement, so far. “The military is not a job, it’s a lifestyle,” she said. “And I like order, discipline and good, healthy living. Being in the military makes you feel like you’re part of something bigger than you. It feels good to be part of something making history, something greater than you, something serving the world.” King is now in charge of training thousands of young recruits selected for a month-long Leaders Training Course at Fort Knox. As the camp’s main planner, she sets the exercises to be completed, manages resources, directs staffing for the program and supervises its progress.