Dear Editor:

I am writing to you to address the situation as to why Norwich does not get most holidays off and get random vacations throughout the year. You would think being a strict military school that we would get days off like Veteran's Day, Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Day etc. And then to top it all off, on the anniversary of the fateful day of September 11 th our school has the nerve to host a women's soccer game? Who is in charge of this operation? I am assuming our President, Dr. Richard Schneider who is respected at the University, and I personally know him as being a great guy is in charge, but why don't we have these very important National holidays off? Another situation that baffles me, is to why we have such a long thanksgiving break right before finals week? You really think students are going to go home and study over break! You have to be kidding me. It's the first break we've gotten since the start of the semester. Now we are going to get a week off right before finals week and bring the students back and expect them to remember everything they have learned. Every other school in the nation gets three or four days off respectably, but not at Norwich. It's almost like the University is setting us (the students) up for failure. I hear students complaining about this issue year after year, and it seems that no one has taken it upon himself or herself to talk to the President about this issue or either it has fallen upon deaf ears. I know we are a lot different then other schools, but why should we be different in this respect. I think this is a serious matter that needs to be taken care of A.S.A.P

Brian Mullally

I have expectations for a great semester. I have been meeting regularly with Brigadier General Kelley and am very pleased with the way the Corps of Cadets is running and administering itself and also standing up for the Green Mountain Experience activities. Rank boards are around the corner, to select the next leadership for the Corps. We also have wonderful opportunities developing this spring for community service and volunteerism for all of our students.

The results from the random drug testing for our fall student athletes have been completed, and all results were negative. I am proud of the way our fall sports teams have performed this year and, more importantly, proud of the way they have overcome the steroid activities of last year and set the record straight that steroid abuse is not tolerated at Norwich.

We have had some very sad news touch our Norwich family. The fiancé of Captain Will Braman (NU Class of '95), Captain Kimberly Hampton, died in a military operation in Iraq. Both were serving there and were due to be married when they returned from deployment. Will Braman is COL and Mrs. Braman's son; COL Braman works in our National Center for the Study of Counter-Terrorism & CyberCrime and Nancy Braman works in the Dean of Student's Office. To the best of our knowledge, Norwich has not suffered the loss of a graduate. We all need to realize that we have many alumni, and some current students who are Reserve or Guardsmen, mobilized and serving in harm's way. This loss certainly brings the war closer to our campus. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Braman and Hampton families.

The world is certainly not a safe place, and the need for a strong, well-educated, and well-trained United States military is growing every day. For those of you who are preparing for military service, we stand with you to prepare you as best we can.

Dear Editor:

The other day I realized how truly unique the Norwich experience is. While attending this university, I feel safe. I believe that is a feeling shared by the majority of the campus. There are students with guns in their possession everywhere on campus, but no one ever feels as though their life could be jeopardized. Instead, we feel protected. It seems odd when you think about it from a civilian standpoint, to walk by when the Corps. is doing their mil lab and has a gun pointed in your direction. Granted the guns aren't loaded, but even still, we don't bat an eyelash. Perhaps the reason is that we view the situation as one in which the guns are a part of the training that is required to protect us and our country. I don't believe that warm and fuzzy feeling could be felt on a different campus if firearms were visible. In that situation, they would probably be loaded and intended for use in a life-threatening manner.

In conclusion, I would just like to say that we feel that we have a degree of safety on the campus by the presence of the Corps. It is truly a unique experience to walk by a person who is toting a gun, smile at them and say hello. Only at Norwich.

Danielle Meunier