Early morning visitors to the NSU campus will often see Army ROTC cadets performing physical training. A closer look will reveal something that is rare, if not unique, a 77 year old alumni, Vietnam veteran, and retired Infantry officer keeping pace with cadets his grandchildren’s age. Every Thursday morning retired Major Richard Hooter and Senior Military Science Instructor, Master Sergeant Michael Blakely, don 30 lb. rucksacks and take off for a several mile jaunt through the NSU campus.

If you ask a Demon football fan where the best tailgating food may be found at home games, NSU’s Army ROTC will be the clear choice. Richard Hooter, wearing his signature Army Ranger ballcap, has been a fixture of Demon football for years. Every home game day, his chef skills transform NSU’s Noe Armory into the best restaurant in town. That is his most well known, but far from only, service to his alma mater and its ROTC unit.

A 1974 graduate of Northwestern State, he completed his degree after being drafted and serving in Vietnam. After graduating, he returned to the Army as an officer, retiring to Natchitoches with his wife of over 50 years, the former JoAnn Ammons.

Not content with a well earned retirement, he mentors NSU ROTC cadets. He is an active member of the Demon Regiment, an association of NSU Army ROTC Alumni in which he has held several offices. Richard Hooter’s lifetime of service to his country and NSU ROTC embody the citizen-soldier concept.