Charlie Ward , Jr .
1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward , Jr . is a native of Thomasville and graduate of Thomas County Central High School .
After he graduated from Florida State University , Ward bypassed the NFL and played professional basketball for the New York Knicks , San Antonio Spurs , and Houston Rockets before retiring in 2005 . His Heisman Trophy , earned playing quarterback for the Seminoles , is on display at the Thomas County Public Library .
General Lloyd James Austin , III ( Ret .)
Gen . Lloyd J . Austin III , a Thomasville native , became commander of the U . S . Central Command in March 2013 . He was responsible for U . S . military operations in 20 nations from Egypt , east to Pakistan and north to Kazakhstan . Gen . Austin was the 33rd Army Vice Chief of Staff from 2012-2013 . His remarkable career spanned 40 years including service as director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon , Commander of Fort Bragg and head of the Multinational Corps in Iraq , second in command to Gen . David Petraeus . He received a Silver Star for the Iraq invasion in 2003 and is the first African-American to command a field army . A 1971 graduate of Thomasville High School , he was commissioned an infantry second lieutenant after graduation from the U . S . Military Academy at West Point . General Austin retired in 2016 and is the current United States secretary of defense .
Contact Madison Eaton at ( 229 ) 227-4136 for more information .
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