Siler bequest supports Miami Air Force ROTC detachment

Retired Air Force Colonel Stetson Siler, a 1975 Miami University graduate, and his wife Katherine recently added $500,000 to an existing bequest supporting Miami's Air Force ROTC detachment. The two supported funds now total $1 million and will serve to strengthen retention, recognize outstanding performance, and enhance detachment operations.

The Col. Stetson and Katherine Siler Air Force ROTC Memorial Award benefits cadet scholarships, while the Col. Stetson and Katherine Siler Air Force ROTC Fund provides general support for Miami’s Air Force ROTC detachment.

“The Silers have been true friends to our detachment,” said Col. Clark Kelly, recently retired detachment commander. “They have remained engaged with the detachment throughout Col. Siler’s career, and this addition to their already generous contributions will support our cadets in exploring the many opportunities within Air Force ROTC at Miami.”

Col. Siler was an Air Force ROTC cadet himself during his time at Miami, during which time he earned bachelor’s degrees in aeronautics and mathematics, and a master’s in mathematics & statistics. He went on to serve 30 years in the U.S. Air Force, bridging the era between the Cold War and the Global War on Terrorism. Katherine supported the Air Force mission as a longtime advocate and mentor for active duty Air Force families.

During his career, Col. Siler, a published author, frequently returned to campus to speak at AFROTC’s senior-level leadership class, advising the cadets on how to develop their scholarly work for publication in military journals.

Miami’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 640 enjoys a rich history of more than 50 years that is reflected in a distinguished alumni body that includes retired General Joseph Ralston, a 1965 graduate and former supreme allied commander of NATO forces in Europe, and Brigadier General Mary Kay Hertog, a 1978 Miami graduate and Commander of the Second Air Force at Mississippi’s Keesler Air Force Base.

Miami’s office of gift planning, within the division of university advancement, offers guidance into a variety of strategies that combine future support of Miami, including bequests, with sound financial planning. To learn more, visit www.ForLoveandHonor.org/GiftPlanning.