Legacy Lecture

In Strange Company

Pogue Auditorium
George C. Marshall Foundation Building
340 VMI Parade
Lexington, Virginia 24450


Leadership Lessons from an Iraq War Veteran

Co-sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1499 and ConnectionsPlus, Col. Tiso will discuss his experiences in the Iraq war as seen through his memoir, In Strange Company.

The lecture will explore the planning of the war, the multinational participation in the conflict and the importance of American leadership in a multinational environment. A reception and book signing will follow the lecture. A limited number of books will be available for purchase. Interested attendees should consider purchasing a book ahead of the lecture. All proceeds from Col. Tiso’s book will be donated to veterans causes.


How can I attend?

The event is free to the public, but reservations are required. To reserve a seat, or for more information about the event, contact [email protected] or call 540.463.7103, ext. 138.


How can I watch from home?

The presentation will also be livestreamed on the Marshall Foundation YouTube channel (https://bit.ly/2Or0E8D) simultaneously. Viewers of the stream are encouraged to write questions using the live video chat (to the lower right of the video) or via email at [email protected]. Chat will be monitored for abusive comments.


Who is Col. Roland Tiso?

Col. Roland Tiso was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry upon his graduation from the Virginia Military Institute in 1973. A graduate of the U.S. Army War College, the Command & General Staff College, and the Armed Forces Staff College, he commanded infantry companies in Korea and the United States, the 1st Battalion, 508th Airborne Infantry in Panama, and United States Tank Force Sinai, Multi-National Force & Observers in Egypt.
In 1996-97 he was the Chief of War Plans Division, U.S. Central Command, and was one of the primary planners of the Iraq War Plan. He was Executive Officer to the Commander of U.S. Central Command 1998-2000. Colonel Tiso was selected as a Distinguished Member of the 506th Infantry Regiment in 2022, and inducted into the ROTC National Hall of Fame in 2024.


The George C. Marshall Foundation Legacy Series is sponsored by:

Dominion Energy; Raymond James; Edward Jones; CornerStone Bank; the Anne C. Robins and Walter R. Robins, Jr. Foundation; Richard & Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust; ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice; Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1499