Press Release
The Charleston RiverDogs and Boeing will host their second Hall of Honor induction ceremony of 2023 prior to Thursday night's Boeing Military Appreciation Night at The Joe. The ceremony will recognize South Carolina Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs Todd B. McCaffrey, a retired U.S. Army Major General and Colonel (retired) Alex Pelbath of the U.S. Air Force as the ninth class of inductees.
The Hall of Honor is an integral piece of Boeing and the RiverDogs joint military appreciation platform, which aims to honor and celebrate military families in the Lowcountry through various recognition programs. The team inducted two classes, with two inductees per class, during the first two years of the program. For the first time, in 2022, three classes were inducted into the Hall of Honor. Three more classes, totaling six individuals, will be inducted throughout the 2023 campaign.
At each Boeing Military Appreciation Night, a minimum of two inductees will be enshrined into the Hall of Honor. A community military committee chooses the inductees from a long list of nominees, including many who are nominated through the Hall of Honor's public nomination link.
All inductees will be recognized on the field on a Military Appreciation Night, and will have their story told on the RiverDogs' Hall of Honor web site.
The ceremony will take place on the field at The Joe at 6:30 pm on Thursday, July 6th prior to that night's 7:05 pm first pitch against the Columbia Fireflies. Media members are invited to attend.
About the Inductees
Secretary Todd B. McCaffrey, a retired Major General of the U.S. Army is the first of this week's inductees. McCaffrey served in the U.S. Army for more than 34 years, completing his military career as the Chief of Staff of the United States Africa Command. Following military retirement, McCaffrey joined the University of South Carolina as the Director of Military Affairs where he assisted the University by integrating and expanding its portfolio of defense, and other national security related efforts.
Upon departing the University, he served as a consultant in the private sector to clients in defense-related industries, government, and academia and served on the board of directors for a South Carolina based Veteran's service organization. McCaffrey is also an Association of the U.S. Army Leadership Fellow, supporting efforts to educate, inspire, and connect leader development programs across the Army and its supporters. McCaffrey now serves as the Secretary of the South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs, which he was nominated by SC Governor Henry McMaster in February of 2023.
During his military career, General McCaffrey commanded units at all echelons through division-level and led both an infantry battalion and Stryker Brigade Combat Team in combat. As a Division Commander he gained a lasting respect for the service and sacrifice of our nation's citizen-Soldiers commanding a training support division. His other assignments include service as Chief of Staff to two 4-Star level commanders, and as the Deputy Commander at U.S. Army Pacific where he supervised Army operations across the Pacific.
General McCaffrey is a 1986 graduate of the United States Military Academy and holds Master-level degrees in economics from the Colorado School of Mines, and in national security studies from the U.S. Army War College. He has earned the Combat Infantry Badge, is a three-time recipient of the Army's Distinguished Service Medal and has been awarded the Bronze Star multiple times for meritorious service in combat.
Also being inducted is (Retired) Colonel Alex Pelbath of the U.S. Air Force. Pelbath is a retired C-17 Special Operations pilot with 22 years of service, attaining the rank of Colonel. Over his 22-year career he commanded multiple highly dynamic organizations and amassed over 4,000 hours flying multiple aircraft, including over 1,000 hours in combat. He served in the highest levels of the military and completed multiple deployments supporting nearly all major military operations since 2001.
In August of 2021, Alex was the Air Mission Commander for the final evacuation of military and civilian personnel in Kabul, Afghanistan. Responsible for all aircraft supporting the final mission, he piloted the last aircraft off the ground, ending the United States' 20-year mission in Afghanistan. Amongst his many military decorations, he is a recipient of the “Sully” Sullenberger Award for Courage and the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross.
Alex earned his BS degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy where he was a four-year Division I wrestler, and later earned an MBA with an emphasis in Strategic Leadership. He currently serves as a Managing Director for the elite Leadership Development firm Victory Strategies; as a spiritual and character development coach at Seacoast Church; and as a board member for the Low Country division of Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
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