Furman University well represented in Operation Inherent Resolve

SOUTHWEST ASIA – Four Furman alumni and two former Furman faculty are currently serving in the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in the Middle East, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

The unit included Air Force Maj. Scott Medlyn, Army Civilian Ray Langdale, Army Col. Mike Ellicott, Army National Guard Capt. Andy Pascual, Army Col. Duke Labasi and Army Lt. Col. Tom Gilleran.

Medlyn ’96 serves as a CJTF-OIR Operational Law Attorney. U.S. Army Civilian and U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. (Retired) Ray Langdale ’84 was a member of the Paladin Battalion and serves in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Ellicott served as a Professor of Military Science at Furman from 2010 to 2011 and is the CJTF-OIR Chief of Engineers.

Pascual ‘02 serves as a CJTF-OIR Operational Law Attorney. Labasi ‘93 was a member of the Paladin Battalion, Army ROTC and the last Furman Division I wrestling program. He is now the CJTF-OIR Chief of Air Defense. Gilleran was a Professor of Military Science at Furman from 2011 to 2014 and now serves as the CJTF-OIR Deputy Chief of Public Affairs.

“We are all proud to apply the lessons and values we learned while at Furman to the important mission of helping the Syrian and Iraqi people,” said Labasi.

Operation Inherent Resolve is the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community, said the U.S. Department of Defense.