The Murray State University Alumni Association has selected 1977 MSU graduate Maj. Gen. Mark Graham and 1978 MSU graduate Col. Lyle Cayce to receive the 2008 Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Since September of 2007, Graham has been the commanding general of the Division West, First Army and Fort Carson , Colo. He is responsible for the training, readiness, mobilization and deployment of more than 18,000 active duty soldiers stationed at Fort Carson as well as the more than 250,000 U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers located throughout a 24 state area.

He came to Fort Carson from Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he served as the U.S. Army North deputy commanding general. Commissioned as a 2 nd lieutenant while at MSU, Graham has served in several capacities with the military prior to his current position including chief of staff, assistant commandant, and deputy commanding general at the Fort Sill U.S. Army Field Artillery Center. He was promoted to his command at Fort Sam Houston in February 2005.

As deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army North from 2005 to 2007, Graham provided extraordinary leadership during Hurricane Katrina's emergency operations. He coordinated and led the evacuation efforts for the Superdome, Convention Center and the city of New Orleans , resulting in the safe relocation of more than 65,000 citizens within seventy-two hours. Shortly after returning to Fort Sam Houston, Graham was selected to head the relief operations when Hurricane Rita hit Texas . He created an environment of cooperation between the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, Coast Guard, Corps of Engineers and National Guard leaders in many states.

Graham has been an integral part of the reshaping the Field Artillery within the U.S. Army. He was also selected to be the first active duty Colonel to command a National Guard brigade. Through his many endeavors and personal commitment to excellence, he has become known for his unmatched ability to build cohesive and high performing teams everywhere he goes.

His military honors include the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legion of Merit awards, the Bronze Star Medal, seven Meritorious Service medals, and the Humanitarian Service Medal. Graham earned his MBA from Oklahoma City University and master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the National Defense University . He has attended the National War College and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

Graham said his college days at Murray laid the foundation for a military career. He gives credit to Darrel McFerron, former MSU ROTC director and military science professor from 1982-84, as the reason he decided to continue with the program. “I had actually decided not to continue MSU’s ROTC program,” Graham said. “However, after I received a telephone call from McFerron he persuaded me to continue on in the program.”

While at Murray State , he was a member of Pi Sigma Pi, Kappa Alpha fraternity and a senator with the Student Government Association.

His wife, the former Carol Shroat, is a 1976 and 1977 graduate of Murray State . They have a daughter, Melanie, and two sons, Jeffery and Kevin, both deceased.

Cayce has served as staff judge advocate with the U.S. Army Infantry Center and Fort Benning , Ga. , since 2004. He is a 1981 graduate of the University of Kentucky School of Law, a 1994 graduate of the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , and a 2004 graduate of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle , Penn. He also earned a master’s of law degree in 1989.

While serving with the 3 rd Infantry Division from 2000 to 2003, he was the division staff judge advocate during Operation Iraqi Freedom and helped develop rules of engagement for land forces, providing advice to field commanders regarding complex military targeting decisions. Cayce also served as staff judge advocate for 13 months in Bosnia as part of a NATO group during Task Force Eagle.

A respected speaker at colleges and universities regarding legal issues of combat and military engagement, he has been interviewed repeatedly on National Public Radio and was interviewed on ABC’s Nightline with Ted Koppel during the initial days of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He and other fellow member of the JAG Corps have worked to establish the new democratic court system in use in Iraq .

Cayce’s legal expertise has also been instrumental in securing a $70 million settlement from a Texas-based life insurance company accused of using deceptive sales tactics on U.S. military service members. The settlement benefited more than 70,000 current and former military service men and women.

His military honors include several Meritorious Service Medals, a Bronze Star Medal, a Legion of Merit and a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

The Princeton, Ky., native was president of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, selected to Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities and recognized as the ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate while at Murray State. His wife, the former Sharon Oliver, is a 1976 graduate of Murray State .

The MSU Alumni Association will honor these recipients with a dinner and awards ceremony at 6 p.m., Friday, May 9, in the Murray Room of the Regional Special Events Center.