transitions from NU to the military
These are responses to July's Question of the Month, "Many Norwich students have just been commissioned into the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Air Force. For those of you who also entered military service after graduation, what do you remember most about the transition?"
Although it was a long time ago, 1968 to be exact, what I remember most is the fact that I was so prepared. The Army held no real surprises. So much so that I stayed in for 35 years, much to the surprise of many of my classmates. The whole military thing became a part of me at NU, and I was ready for active duty. It is still a part of me. Keep up the great work!
~Keith E. Kudla ’68
My years at Norwich were instrumental for the leadership required for the Army. I do, however, recall taking certain things much too seriously that were of lesser importance to the Army, but of huge importance to the Corps of Cadets. Although uniform standards, drill and ceremonies, and room inspections are of utmost importance to the discipline and morale of any unit, we must be careful to balance these necessities with solid, realistic, mentally and physically challenging training. We must empower our NCOs to the max and make all efforts to supervise and give educated direction when needed. Our job as officers carries an enormous responsibility, especially during our turbulent times of peacekeeping missions, and we owe it to ourselves and all our sons and daughters serving in the military to properly prepare them for these rigorous tasks. The moment your younger enlisted, especially E-5's, can carry out your unit's wartime mission with little direction - your job has just begun! Lastly, never take yourself too seriously, LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES, and make all efforts to have as much fun as possible.
~CPT Francisco Jose Richardson, US Army 101 Airborne Division
After graduation, my initial duty was as an instructor at Camp All American at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During the late 80's and early 90's, all Cadets went to Advance Camp at Fort Bragg. Many of the Army 2LTs who were scheduled to attend their basic course in Aug/Sep were assigned as instructors at Fort Bragg. Like most new second lieutenants, I purchased a 1990 Plymouth Laser from a Burlington Car dealership. I was able to pack all of my worldly possessions in that first car for my move to Fort Bragg and then to Fort Knox for the basic course. Fifteen years and ten moves later, it takes a moving truck to pack up my family's possessions. So what I remember the most about my transition is the simple necessities of life and worldly possessions that were able to fit in that first car.
~MAJ Bryan Radliff ’90
My saying concerning transitions and what I can remember is excitement. Concerning military service, this transition is the first and maybe the easiest, considering most are single, do not own a home, etc. However, it's the most disconcerting due to the lack of experience. For the Jr. Officers out there, I'd recommend to relax and listen carefully to the in-processing briefings. It will all be explained to you. Otherwise, my motto is, every transition is an opportunity. Make it a challenge. And good luck to them and thanks for volunteering to serve.
~Gerry Signorelli ’91, Major - USAF Active Duty for 10 yrs - Full time Reserveist for 4 yrs - Airlift Pilot
The transition after graduation in 1951 involved, for most of my class, Active Duty. Some of us went on Active Duty more quickly than others and soon learned that Korea might be in our future. Most of us ended up there. But, with that said, let me point out how two 1951 Norwich graduates were received on September 4 or 5, 1951 at Ft. Hood, TX as they reported in at the 1st Armored Division and the 13th Medium Tank Battalion Headquarters for their welcome interview with the Battalion Commander. The interview was simple. Bob Whitehead ’51 and I reported to the Battalion Commander. He told us to sit down. When we did, he simply said, “You are Norwich graduates and you know what is expected of you. That's all; you are dismissed.” With that, we realized the "worth" we had as graduates and officers from Norwich and hoped we could live up to the reputation. We believe we did.
~Conrad D. Whitney ’51, COL AUS (Ret)
I remember a very long but fast-paced year as I went from Officer Basic Course in VA to Airborne School in GA to my first duty station in CO. I'm sure that what was learned and experienced at NU made the transition that much easier.
~MAJ Paul Jardine USAR ’81
We were totally prepared for the transition from Norwich to Active duty. The cadre at Norwich, plus our summer camp experience, had us very well-prepared to do what was required of us as Army Officers.
~Dick Mullen ’58
Upon graduation, I received a commission into the USAF. As I left home for the second time, I remember being nervous about what active duty life would bring. My first duty station was Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, NM. I remember being scared when I first arrived at my duty station; however, the experience I had at Norwich allowed me to overcome that fear. I remember wishing I was back in the safety of the UP with my friends, but then I realized that it was those friends and the faculty who had prepared me to face my greatest challenge yet. After I was able to overcome the fear of something new, I became excited about the new challenge and the new people I would meet. Now, four years later, I am a captain and an instructor at Maxwell AFB in Alabama. As an instructor, I am now able to mentor newly commissioned second lieutenants and ease their fears and apprehensions about the challenge they have become a part of. I wouldn't trade my experiences at Norwich for anything, and to this day I remember everything I was taught there. One of my students asked me the other day if I thought going to a military college had made me a better officer. I told him I couldn't say whether it had made me a good officer or not, but that the experience had made me a better person – a person who was more confident and ready to face any challenge put to them. I also told him that I'd go back to Norwich in a heartbeat just to relive all of it. To the faculty and friends who helped me become who I am today, thank you. To the newly commissioned second lieutenants and ensigns, good luck, have fun and never forget what you learned and where you came from. Norwich Forever!
~Captain Heather Newcomb, USAF ’01
I remember all the excitement of reporting to IOBC at Ft. Benning, GA. It was April 1971, and we did not know if our scheduled destinations would hold up (they did) or if we would be sent to Vietnam (we weren't). Once IOBC was over, we began our real life as LTs. Now we were "independent." Dad had paid the last bill, and we were really on our own. I recall how lucky I was in my first assignment as a 1542/1560 (infantry platoon leader/mechanized) in the 4th ID. The entire chain of command was GREAT from the base commander on down. It was a terrific experience in leadership. The senior officers in my command all had at least one tour in 'Nam and some had two. They were not into superficial stuff, but rather focused on quality training for AITs, lots of creativity in carrying out the assignments, and in aiding Vietnam returnees in terminating their service honorably. I still think of the battalion commander as the best pure leader I ever worked for.
~Fred Morsheimer '70
The switch from NU to Army wasn't that big for me. I worked with the LTC program over the summer, and they are used to working with new LTs, so we were treated like something in between a cadet and an officer. OBC was where the change started-- you began to realize you weren't in school, anymore, and by the time I got to my unit, it was full-blown Army. Anyone jumping straight from school to training should be ready for some culture shock.
~Kylee Dalmata ’03
I remember how seamless my transition was. The only significant change in my life was transitioning from Grays to Khakis. Many of my Norwich classmates went through Navy flight training with me. We continued to study and socialize together throughout flight school. Even 15 years later, we still run into each other over the course our naval service.
~LCDR Leif Bergey
