Columbus State University News
Brown ’92 makes father-son history with induction into U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame
August 17, 2026
Blair Brown, a 1992 graduate of Columbus State University, was recently inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame as part of its 2026 class, which includes 11 others. He is the son of retired Maj. Roger Brown, a 2004 inductee, marking only the second father-son pair in the hall’s history.
Brown’s honorary induction recognizes his over a decade of service, leadership and dedication to the U.S. Army Ranger community. As vice president and executive director of the National Ranger Memorial Foundation in Columbus, he works to preserve the National Ranger Memorial at Fort Benning, which honors the Rangers’ legacy. His duties encompass managing the foundation’s operations, fundraising, communications and stewardship of college scholarships for active and retired Rangers and their families.
For Brown, this recognition represents a full-circle moment inseparable from the father and military officer who influenced him: “He’s my hero—the standard I measure myself against, and the reason I understand what service is supposed to look like…. Standing on that stage knowing my father’s name was already on the Hall of Fame roll, that’s not a moment you prepare for. It’s one you carry.”
Brown’s contributions to the foundation draw on his 25 years of successful small-business leadership, which began when he joined the family-owned All-American Recycling. His father founded the company after retiring from the Army in 1983. His mother, Linda Brown, earned her degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from Columbus State in 1981, and Brown studied there while advancing in the business. He became vice president of operations, held that position until the family sold the company in 2018, and remained as general manager until 2023.
As Brown pursued a degree in political science, former faculty like Dr. Mario Mion, who chaired the then-Department of Political Science, and Dr. William Chappell, a professor of English, left a significant impact on him: “Both were great men and great teachers, and I still hold them in the highest respect.” But perhaps the most notable moment from his college years is meeting Ashley Allen Brown over lunch at the Baptist Student Union on campus. By the time she graduated with her bachelor’s in education in 1997, they were already married.
Serving the Ranger community
While Brown helped lead the family business, he also served as the foundation’s part-time executive director. He held this position even after his family sold the business and during a brief stint working for a pulp and paper company in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. After 12 years in this part-time role, the foundation’s chair, retired Brig. Gen. Larry Burris, appointed Brown the full-time executive director in 2024.
Under Brown’s full-time leadership, the National Ranger Memorial Foundation has increased donor engagement, strengthened relationships within the active-duty and veteran Ranger communities, and advanced long-term efforts to preserve the memorial as a place of honor for future generations. Networking is a vital element of Brown’s work, and he advises Columbus State students to hone these skills early throughout their college journeys:
“Take full advantage of your time at Columbus State—and I mean more than your studies,” he recommends. “This university offers unique networking opportunities, and many business and community leaders got their start there. You never know who your classmate may become.”
He takes pride in how the foundation’s initiatives connect with his alma mater and in supporting active-duty and retired Rangers and their families. This year, according to Brown, the foundation provided $180,000 in scholarships, bringing the total to $1.1 million since 1994—with many scholarships going to Columbus State students. He described each of those scholarships as “a promise kept to a Ranger family. When some of those land at Columbus State, my two worlds meet.” He also pointed to the university’s “first-class” facilities, such as the Cunningham Conference Center and the Bo Bartlett Center, and the privilege of bringing foundation events to campus.
The Browns now join the Granges—retired Lt. Gen. David E. Grange Jr., the namesake of the Army’s annual Best Ranger Competition, and his son, retired Maj. Gen. David L. Grange—as the Ranger Hall of Fame’s only two father-son duos.
Established in 1992 to preserve the legacy of America’s most extraordinary soldiers, the Ranger Hall of Fame honors individuals who have demonstrated a lifetime of selfless service to the Ranger community. The Ranger Legacy Foundation administers it, and a selection board reviews nominations annually against strict eligibility criteria. Nominees must be deceased, retired or separated from active military service for at least three years, and must have either served in a combat Ranger unit or graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger School. Honorary inductees, like Brown, are spotlighted for extraordinary contributions to Ranger units, Ranger organizations or the broader Ranger community.
Main image: Blair Brown ’92 holds his framed U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame honorary induction certificate alongside his father, retired Maj. Roger Brown.
Media contacts:Columbus State University, Michael Tullier, APR; Ranger Hall of Fame, general information
