Roswell honored retired Air Force Lt. Col. Carolyn Richardson with a proclamation during Monday’s city council meeting.
Richardson, a local resident, was recognized as an Esteemed Veteran of Roswell for her 21 years of military service.
The recognition from Mayor Kurt Wilson’s office was read at the start of the meeting. The mayor customarily pays tribute to veterans who have served with distinction.
Richardson began her career in 1980 at age 26 when she entered Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Her many leadership roles included chief of the Operational Contracting Division, the proclamation states.
She received the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the “Outstanding Administrator of the Year” award among other honors.
Richardson earned a master’s degree in public administration while serving in the U.S. Air Force. After retiring from the military in 2001, she continued her public service as a federal civilian, eventually retiring from the Federal Student Aid Office in Washington, D.C.
Richardson says she was “deeply touched” by the recognition and usually shies away from the spotlight. The honor, she says, allows her grandchildren “to see what you can accomplish.”
The retired lieutenant colonel says she lives by the values attributed to Syed Balkhi, “Happiness is the new rich. Kindness is the new cool. Health is the new wealth. And inner peace is the new success.”
