Hall of Fame
Mike Hester is one of two Distinguished Letterwinner inductees in this year’s Hall of Fame class. Hester served as a co-captain on the football team as a senior and was named the team defensive player of the year. He earned ECAC New England Second Team honors and was an honorable mention Pizza Hut All-American as a senior.
In his junior season, he earned ECAC Honor Roll accolades after recording 12 tackles and a 14-yard touchdown interception with 2:18 left in the game to lead Norwich to a 28-16 win over West Conn.
“The lessons I learned as a ball player from our great coaches and teammates have served me well in my Army career both in and out of combat,” Hester said. “I would like to thank my mom and ‘pop’, my coaches, my teammates and of course Norwich for this distinct honor of being selected to the Athletic Hall of Fame.”
Hester went on to an accomplished 29-year career in the United States Army after graduating from Norwich. Hester served in Cuba, Germany, Korea, Iraq and Jordan during his military career earning a Bronze Star; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; and Combat Action Badge.
He received his Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S., Army War College in 2013 and was posted to Jordan as the Chief of Staff for CENTCOM/1st Armored Division Forward. Hester commanded the Fort Bliss U.S. Army Garrison from February 2015 until July 2017 and stayed at Fort Bliss from July 2017 to June 2018 as the 1AD Chief of Staff. Col Hester finished his career as a proud member of Joint Task Force North and retired from active-duty Army as a Colonel in June 2019.
In March 2020, Hester started his second career as a consultant for Little River Government Contracting, LLC, a tribally-owned HUB Zone certified business.
Hester is happily married to the former Katie Orr of Topeka, Kan.; they have one son Gus and two noble dogs. The Hesters fell in love with El Paso Texas, bought a house there and enjoy being part of the tight knit community.
