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FAYETTEVILLE — Officials honored a hometown hero in Fayetteville on Friday.

A statue was unveiled of Gen. Hugh Shelton at the State Veterans Park near the Airborne Special Operations Museum. For the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the statue is symbolic of how hard work, perseverance, and following one's aspirations can accomplish any goal one sets their mind to.

“I think it shows that a youngster from North Carolina, eastern North Carolina, can through hard and diligence and the support of a lot of great mean and women in uniform, reach the highest position in our nation's military,” said Shelton.

Former Presidential Candidate Ross Perot commissioned the statue. Perot sees the statue as a symbol for future generations and said that he hopes they will be inspired to be as patriotic as Gen. Shelton and be encouraged to do something for society. Perot said that it is one thing to talk about doing something and another to actually do it, and Shelton is the type of individual who always does it.

Gen. Shelton's statue will stand in the State Veterans Park alongside “Iron Mike”, the same statue that stood watch over Fort Bragg during the General's time as Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and the Eighteenth Airborne Corps.

“You go inside and you see the dead heroes and the live heroes, it is very appropriate that the chairman of the joint chief of staff's statue be here where the Airborne is still located,” said Fayetteville resident Gerald Croll.

Gen. Hugh Shelton was born in Tarboro, N.C. And graduated from North Carolina State University. He served with Special Forces in Vietnam and eventually commanded soldiers stationed at Fort Bragg.