Gen. Richard Myers (retired), the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be the guest speaker at the Purdue Agricultural Alumni Association Fish Fry on Feb. 11. He will speak on “Preparedness at Home and Abroad.”

For the third consecutive year, the event will be held at the Marsh Blue Ribbon Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

The Fish Fry will begin at 11:30 a.m., following the Agriculture Forecast at 9:30 a.m. in the Old National Bank Grand Hall.

“Having the Fish Fry at the Marsh Blue Ribbon Pavilion gives so many more of our members the opportunity to see a speaker of such high national prominence as General Myers,” said Donya Lester, executive secretary of the Ag Alumni Association.

“Beginning with his appointment as the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in October 2001, General Myers was an integral part of the decision-making process at the highest levels of our government. Having him as guest speaker is a great opportunity not only to hear what went into some of the decisions that have guided this country over the past several years, but also to get some insights from a true insider as to some of the critical decisions that must be made in the years ahead.”

From the U.S. military’s engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan to its role in the Hurricane Katrina rescue and relief effort, Myers was the principal military adviser to the president, the secretary of defense and the National Security Council.

Myers is an Air Force command pilot with over 4,100 flying hours, including 600 combat hours during the Vietnam War. He joins a growing list of nationally prominent Fish Fry speakers: presidential candidate Bob Dole (2002), Nobel Prize winner Norman Borlaug (2003), presidential consultants James Carville and Mary Matalin (2004), and Washington television analyst Tim Russert (2005).

“General Myers only became available as a speaker after his retirement on Sept. 30,” Lester said. “So we’re very excited to have the opportunity to hear him discuss the military, security and preparedness issues, both at home and abroad.”

The forecast meeting is free. Tickets for the Fish Fry are $20, with reserved parking available for $5 and $10. Contact the Agricultural Alumni Association, Pfendler Hall of Agriculture, Room 107, 715 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2061, (765) 494-8593, or e-mail office manager Debby Bible at debby@purdue.edu.