Sergeant Major (Ret.) Ulysses Wesley Mays will be the guest speaker at the 2019 Dillon County Veterans Day ceremony on Monday, November 11 at 11:00 a.m. at the Dillon City-County Complex (Veterans Square).

Mays is the son of the late Ulysses Marie Calhoun Mays, was born in Brooklyn, New York.
Mays was reared in the small town of Little Rock, South Carolina.
Certainly, growing up poor and working in the hot tobacco and cucumber fields of North and South Carolina taught him discipline, excellent organizational skills, the importance of hard work, and lastly the value of a hard earned dollar!
He received his early childhood education in the South Carolina public school system, graduating from Dillon High School, home of the “Mighty Dillon Wildcats,” in June 1978. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Excelsior College in Albany, New York and master degrees in both Management & Leadership and Human Resource Management from Webster University at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
Mays’ philosophy on education is that, “Education is a lifelong, mind enriching, forever changing, never ending journey; once you stop learning you cease to grow and develop as a person.” Mays, United States Army Retired, throughout his very distinguished military career served in numerous locations around the world: Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Africa, Korea, Texas, Maryland, The White House (during the Reagan administration), and Kansas to name a few. Sergeant Major Mays is the recipient of numerous U.S. military awards and decorations including, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Joint Unit Commendation Medal, both of which were awarded while he was assigned to international units.
A tested and proven leader, this combat soldier is a recipient of the coveted Bronze Order of Mercury for excellence in the signal world and he was awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) for his outstanding volunteer work both on and off the military installation while assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas, 2002-2004.
Mays’ most important and self-fulfilling volunteer moment to date was serving as a vital member of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Committee.
In July 2008 he retired from the army, culminating a stellar military career of more than 30 years of dedicated service to the United States of America. Mays served as the treasurer of the Fort Gordon Credit Union of Augusta, Georgia for eight years. This civic-minded leader is a member of several noteworthy organizations including, but not limited to; former vice-president of the Tuskegee Airmen Eastern Region, vice-president of the Fort Gordon Sergeants Major Association, life member of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Buffalo Soldiers of America. In 2006 Mays received the Blacks in Government Life Member award. Sergeant Major Mays brings extensive experience and a certain level of dedication, commitment to excellence, and superb leadership to everything he does.
In his own published words, “Great leadership is not a battleship nor is it a sinking ship, but when applied correctly, can be one of the greatest partnerships known to mankind.” In 2009 he owned very successful real estate in Augusta, Georgia. This Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is also a motivational speaker. The former native of Little Rock, S.C. hosted the first Little Rock Family Day event in 2011. This event tells the history of Little Rock, brings “Rockers” together from around the nation, as well as teaches the kids about the good old days. Mays spends his free time writing, traveling, lecturing, listening to great old school music, doing volunteer work, and just enjoying all that life has to offer.