Homewood resident moves on from post as U.S. military officer

For Major General N. Lee S. Price, breaking barriers has become the norm.

Price, a former Homewood resident, was the first female program executive officer for the U.S. Army, responsible for overseeing the development and delivery of communication systems to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. She started in the Alabama National Guard in 1975 and, after being commissioned in 1981, moved rapidly up the ranks. She was the first woman to reach the rank of brigadier general through the Army Acquisition Corps and led a team to design the network used to restore logistical communication after Hurricane Katrina.

Price has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and multiple awards for meritorious service, and she was inducted into the Alabama Business and Professional Women’s Foundation Academy of Honor in 2009.

Now, Price has retired from her post and returned to her hometown to enjoy friends and family. As she transitioned from military to civilian life, The Homewood Star asked Price about her Homewood roots and her advice for students who want to follow her path.

What is your fondest memory of growing up in Homewood?

I have only wonderful memories of Homewood. I lived in a terrific neighborhood up on Crest Drive with lots of kids of comparable age. We were outside every day playing touch football, riding bikes, or having water and pinecone battles. I went to Edgewood Elementary and then on to Homewood Junior High. I always felt secure and knew I was surrounded by friends and family.

Where were your favorite places to shop, eat, visit or relax in the city?

Downtown Homewood today is pretty close to how it was when I grew up. Everyone shopped at Sikes, Savages and Colony Casual, and we enjoyed a lot of free time eating at the old Hikel drug store and Pasquales. There was a movie theater in Homewood that I frequented for matinees and remember the old newsreels that would play before each showing. The downtown Homewood area today is also great, and I love seeing that it’s staying so modern and the SOHO area is great.

Besides participating in sports programs, how did the community prepare you for your career?

The Homewood community itself always felt like a big family. I was too young to understand things like the tax structure, but I always had the sense of a community working hard to address problems or challenges. That kind of team translates well into the same type of constrained decision making that we experience in the military.

What Homewood residents were your biggest rolemodels growing up?

As far as role models, I don’t have to look further than my parents. They definitely reflected the values that they taught all four of us kids to live by. One of the values that I carry with me is to treat people with dignity, compassion and respect, and my parents reflected those values every day. A secondary player is our own sports legend Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. His lessons in leadership also translate well to the teamwork of the military. One thing that I’ve never had to do in my 38 years of service is explain who Bear Bryant is; he’s a legend we can all learn from.

What message would you send to Homewood students to encourage them?

I am living my dream and passion. I encourage the youth of America to find where their passion is. Develop a one-, three-, and five-year plan and review it each year. I know it sounds mundane, but if you don’t have a plan you will not succeed to the same heights as others will. It’s okay to deviate from that plan, but know where you are headed. I work in an area where less than 25 percent of youth qualify to be considered for service. Many are disqualified for what I’ll term the “folly of youth.” That leads me to always remind the younger population that we all have but one reputation and it is your responsibility to manage your own. I love speaking with young people; the army, of course, is largely comprised of the younger generation. I continue to learn from them as I teach lessons from the past. I’ve lived the American dream. Start your plans now; develop a game plan for achieving your dream and you too can achieve it!

What message do you have for your parents and other residents who know you personally?

I’ve stayed in touch with many of the folks that I went to school with and grew up with. In fact, I joke with some that I have no memories that predate me knowing them. Literally, we went to kindergarten at Mrs. Lloyd’s together and graduated from high school years later at Shades Valley (the old Shades Valley). I am looking forward to spending more time with them as opposed to just seeing them at the reunions. I’m thrilled to be coming full circle! I look forward to the journey “home.”