Sgt. Maj. of the Army William A. Connelly, USA, Ret., from Monticello, Ga., was inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame in Columbus, Nov. 22, as a member of the 2013 inaugural class for his extraordinary achievements and his service to the nation.He was also cited for his outstanding leadership and service to soldiers and their families during his over 33-year military career.Connelly, who served as the sixth sergeant major of the Army from July 1979 to June 1983, also served as command sergeant major, U.S. Army Forces Command.In his retirement, Connolly was a member of the Association of the United States Army’s Council of Trustees and served as the vice chairman for Noncommissioned Officer and Enlisted Affairs from July 1, 1994 to June 30, 1998.Connelly also was the co-chairman of the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Retiree Council from 1994 to 1998.Made up of seven retired officers and seven retired senior noncommissioned officers, the council reviews retiree issues forwarded by Army installations and determines which should be sent to the chief of staff for consideration and action.He was awarded both the Bronze Star and the Air Medal for Valor in Vietnam, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.Among his many other awards while on active duty and in retirement is the Doughboy Award, presented annually to recognize an individual for outstanding contributions to the United States Army Infantry.Since 1954, "Connelly has faithfully and selflessly served our nation, our military service members, and our veterans," the citation stated.Seventeen additional heroes were inducted including nine from the U.S. Army; four from the Marine Corps; two from the Air Force; and two from the Navy.Of the 18 heroes inducted, 13 were for valor; four were for extraordinary service; and one was for significant achievement.Nominations are now being sought for the Hall of Fame class of 2014.Visit the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame website athttp://www.GMVHOF.org for more details.