There are a few things I would like to share with you in this column that I think are important for all of us to know about and consider.

Unfortunately, we had some of our students charged with theft of cash and using stolen credit cards. They have been charged by the police and departed campus. The Commandant also charged them with the violation of breaking the honor code. While it is always a very serious hit to morale to have thieves among us, it is a reality in today's environment. We would want all of our students to live the honor code. We should be allowed to leave our valuables out, but the fact is that it is not prudent to do so. We must always be on our guard, and for that reason I want to remind you to please protect your cash, credit cards and your valuables, and to always be aware and on the watch.

I have started to have meetings with our Resident Assistants and the Corps of Cadet's leadership. They have been productive meetings, and I want to commend all the student leaders, both civilian and military, for their hard work this year. This has been one of the best academic years we have had at Norwich.

I want to explain about why we take our hats off in the mess hall. During battle, the mess tents, and aboard ship, the mess decks are used as field hospitals. It is here that our wounded soldiers and sailors come, perhaps even to die; therefore, it is out of respect for the deaths and the suffering of our military personnel that everyone, military and civilian, remove their hats when they enter any mess hall or when they enter the mess deck of a ship. I ask that all of our students respect this tradition and remember why we do it, especially as we celebrate Veteran's Day. There will be over 4,000 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts on our campus, along with hundreds of veterans and their families, this Saturday celebrating Veteran's Day. I know from the preparation that it will be an outstanding event for the veterans and for Norwich. It is appropriate at this time to remind everyone of the sacrifices that our veterans have made and that some have paid with their lives for our freedom. Please honor that each day when you think about it and remove your hat as you enter the mess hall.

I wish you all a very safe and happy Thanksgiving week off. Please take this as a great opportunity to catch up on some academic work that you may need to spend some more time on. It is a great opportunity to get ahead in your readings and prepare for exams. Whatever the case, please ensure you are safe, and enjoy your time away from campus. We look forward to having you back and to finishing up a great academic semester.

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