Ms. Patrecia S. Hollis

Patrecia Slayden Hollis was born on 4 July, 1944, in Avon Park, Florida. She earned a B.A. from the University of Tennessee in 1966 and a M.A. from George Washington University in 1980. Among other jobs, Hollis taught English at Park College in Missouri and was an award-winning news reporter before she became Managing Editor in 1987 of Field Artillery, a professional journal for Army and Marine Field Artillerymen stationed around the world. She became Editor in 1995. During her career, she conducted more than 80 interviews, primarily with division and corps commanders returning from the Middle East, about the effectiveness of their combat operations, use of fire support, and the requirements for future fires. She interviewed the commander of multinational forces in Task Force Eagle while in Bosnia’s combat zone. Hollis also interviewed a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Chiefs of Staff of the Army (two), a Chief of Staff of the Air Force, a Commandant of the Marine Corps, Sergeants Major of the Army (two), the commanding generals of I, III, V, and XVIII Airborne Corps, joint fires and effects coordinators for multinational corps (two), plus commanders-in-chief of Central Command (three), U.S. Army, Europe and Combined Forces Command in Korea. Her interviews include commanding generals of the National Training Center, Joint Readiness Training Center, 29 Palms, and Combat Maneuver Training Center plus commanding generals of the Training and Doctrine Command (three) and the Combined Arms Center (two). Her controversial interview with the commanding general of Operation Anaconda about fires in Afghanistan drew international media and highlighted training needed for joint fire support coordinators. She was the longest serving editor since the magazine’s inception in 1911. Hollis was the Chairman of Operation Homefront for Oklahoma, a Director for the Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum, and a Director for the Cameron University Foundation. She received the Katie Award and Statue from the Dallas Press Club for the Best Interview in 2006 with the commander of joint and coalition forces in the Second Battle of Fallujah in Iraq, the Ancient and Honorable Orders of Saint Barbara Award, Artillery Order of Molly Pitcher Award, and Commander’s Public Service Medal from the commanding general of Ft. Leavenworth.

Patrecia Slayden Hollis was the first woman to be inducted into the U.S. Field Artillery Hall of Fame.