Samuel Milton Selby Rollinson, 1960-2017

Samuel Milton Selby Rollinson - named Samuel Milton after his father, but known as Selby to his friends and family - was born February 13, 1960, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was the fourth of five sons born to Sam and Ruth Rollinson. Sam was a chemical engineer and Ruth was a chemist, but after her first child, she became a full time mother. Selby's first eight years were spent in St. Marys, Georgia, a small paper mill and shrimping town. Those years were spent learning to swim, playing baseball, starting school, becoming a Cub Scout, and forcing three older brothers to also let him "play". Halfway through those years, Selby gave up his position as youngest son when the fifth boy was born. A favorite past time for the whole family was boating on the St. Marys river in a 18' wooden, open deck boat. Many Saturdays and Sundays were spent on the water, and Selby's love of boating lasted his whole life.

In 1967, the family moved to Rome, Georgia, when Sam joined the Georgia Kraft paper mill. Selby continued in scouting, joining a troop whose scoutmaster was a retired Marine and reinforced Selby's values. Part of being one of the Rollinson crew was learning to play a musical instrument, and Selby played the trombone. The game of bridge was also part of living as a Rollinson, and Selby learned to play early and well. In Rome, the family joined the Lutheran church. Commitment and loyalty came readily to Selby. His friends met no particular criteria - they just had to share his love of life and his values. During his stay in Rome, Selby was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and became a stay-at-home invalid for several months. Academically sound, Selby rejoined his class when he recovered.

Selby's junior year in high school found the family in McGehee, Arkansas, where Sam had been hired to build a pulp and paper mill. By this time, the three older brothers had finished school and were no longer at home. Selby found his new environment offered different challenges. Football was a team sport he had never played, but according to his coach, he put more energy and commitment into it than any of his other players. Selby earned his Eagle Scout badge in McGehee and was one of the troop's top leaders. The trombone gave him entrance into the McGehee High School Band. Saturdays were often spent on the water in a ski boat with friends at Lake Village, Arkansas - down the road from McGehee. He received his appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point while living in McGehee.

While Selby had always been about Family and Friends, it was at West Point that this instinct took hold - to the detriment of his own academics and class standing. He spent more time with others than he did with his books, but he could always be counted on to find ways to relieve the pressure of the daily grind of schoolwork, upperclassman, and officers "encouraging" everyone to excel - in everything! Between Selby's sophomore and junior year, he was one of only sixty-one cadets, who volunteered to enter the extremely challenging Ranger School. Only about half of the 200 Soldiers and Cadets in the class earned the Ranger Tab, and Selby was one of them.

After Selby was commissioned and while assigned to the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Ft. Stewart, Georgia, he distinguished himself at team building as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer. But his most significant achievement was his wooing and winning the hand of the former Sarail Ramirez Gonzalez. Selby saw a future life partner with Sarah, who shared his love of life and had the same generous spirit and work ethic. He spent two determined years of courtship and got her to accept his proposal, despite taking his future bride out on the aforementioned boat and having it fail to start. Selby and Sarah's relationship with the boat ended not long after their wedding when the old watercraft sank. Selby, Sarah, and some friends had to abandon ship.

Following the Infantry Officer Advanced Course in 1986, Selby commanded a company in the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Selby and Sarah's first two children, Sam and Michelle, were born in 1987 and 1988. Selby's commitment to Family and Friends continued as he and Sarah completely integrated their personal family into the greater military community. No one was an opponent or stranger to Selby. Rather than trying to "outshine" his peers, he worked to encourage and support everyone. Sarah completely complemented Selby's drive. While he trained and deployed his company throughout the islands and region, she was always helping others, per their shared ethos.

Selby and Sarah's success in Hawaii was rewarded by one of his most fulfilling duties when he was assigned to West Point to be a Tactical Officer. First, though, he had to complete the extremely rigorous Eisenhower Leader Development Masters Program. Again, he was the main ingredient in the glue that formed cohesion, maintained sanity, and ensured success for his entire class. As a Tactical Officer, he continued building his professional family - especially with his fellow "Tacs" new to the Military Academy's idiosyncrasies. The Cadets under his charge learned that there wasn't much they could get past this "hard as woodpecker lips" officer who had "been there and done that" (good, bad, and ugly), when he was a cadet.

In 1994, Selby and family went to Fort Leavenworth and attended the Command and General Staff College where their last child, Zack, was born. Next, Selby went to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and became the Executive Officer for the "Rakkasans", the 3rd Battalion of the 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division. As the XO, Selby deployed with his battalion on a six month mission to the Sinai Peninsula as part of the Multinational Force of Observers. Again, he put his personal advancement last and the Soldiers and Staff of the battalion first as he worked to support his battalion.

After Fort Campbell, Selby took his family to Seoul, Korea, for a two year assignment on the 8th Army Staff. He could have chosen to serve only one year away from the comforts and familiarity of the United States without his family. However, Selby's wife and children meant everything to him. He chose the more difficult two-year assignment which allowed his family to accompany him.

Selby's last assignment was to Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1999. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after duty as the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade Executive Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff, and the Inspector General. It was in Columbus and Fort Benning that Selby probably had more impact than anywhere else he and his family were assigned. He worked at Fort Benning for his last 18 years - 4 on active duty and 14 years as a government civilian. He first was Fort Benning's Protocol Officer, and later became the civilian Deputy Chief of Staff and was in that position when an auto-immune disease necessitated a liver transplant. Despite complications from that surgery, Selby was able to serve as the Deputy TRADOC Capability Manager for the Stryker Brigade Combat Team until he passed away. He worked extremely hard throughout his sickness so that he could continue to contribute to the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

Earlier in Selby's time at Fort Benning he strove to help make the Armor Center a partner to the Infantry Center at Fort Benning and for the Post to become the Maneuver Center. Selby was one of the Armor Center's biggest proponents as he worked behind the scenes focusing on even the smallest of details trying to ease the difficulties of such a major change for the Armor Family. And that was Selby - all about others.

Selby and Sarah's sons, Sam and Zack, followed Selby by becoming Eagle Scouts. Michelle was a lifeguard and learned to scuba in high school. Selby was a devoted fan of the Atlanta Braves through good times - and bad.

Selby was devoted to his family, friends, community, and country. His generosity and love for others will never be forgotten and will be forever carried on by the continuation of actions taken by those he so loved, influenced, and inspired.

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