How did an illiterate seventeen-year-old peasant farmgirl take command of a defeated and demoralized army and lead it to an astounding series of great battlefield victories!? Guest speaker Steve Richey answers precisely this question about Joan of Arc, a great and highly unusual one-of-a-kind military leader. Steve is the author of the book Joan of Arc: The Warrior Saint. He also appeared in the TV documentary “Saint Joan of Arc: Maid for God.” In the course of his presentation, he will explain in detail the remarkable traits of character and unique circumstances that enabled Joan to achieve what seemed to be impossible: emerging from utter obscurity to lead her country’s army in turning the tide of a great war and—eventually—freeing her homeland from foreign domination. The presentation will consist of two parts: first, a lecture in which Steve will make his teaching points, and second, a photographic slide show/travelogue following Joan’s path back and forth across France. Every member of the audience will receive a copy of the lecture notes.

Stephen W. Richey was born and raised in Rochester, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Army as a tank crewman in 1977. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1984 as an officer of tank troops. He served out his military career in numerous places and in numerous capacities around the U.S. and the world. Highlights of his career include earning his parachutist’s wings at Fort Benning, Georgia, two tours of duty in Germany, humanitarian de-mining operations in Ethiopia, and four tours of duty in wartime Iraq. He earned a master’s degree in history from Central Washington University in 2002. Now retired from the military, he makes his home in Rochester, New York.

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