My experience was when I came here ROTC was required the first two years and of course at the end of two years you had the chance of opting out, but to me it gave added structure to what I was doing
and also I guess you'd say there was a war coming along, or going on, and I felt more and more responsibility. I knew then that to keep on going in ROTC I would then have active duty.
I met my best friend, Max Thurman. He was cadet colonel there while I was there. I met a lot of people there that I later served with. I then had the opportunity to-. I was in Army ordnance.
I won the Army ordnance award when I was a junior or senior, I've forgotten what it was, ROTC. Then when I went to Europe I had active duty.
I was in charge of a servicing recovery platoon, I got involved with a two eight millimeter Tommy cannon, all these kind of things, but more importantly I left here for two years, no parents over there.
I got responsibilities of my own and it was a great transition period for me, getting away, thinking about things, without just having to jump right out of college and go do-.
And frankly I'm one of those that thinks the draft, not necessarily just to go in the Army, was not a bad thing. It gave people that opportunity to go out and find other things that they might do and be interested in but yet do a public service of some sort, but cut your ties.
And you earn enough money to eat, they feed you, [Laughs] they clothe you. But I'm a big supporter of that program. One of the reasons is that it gives you that opportunity to not only serve country but also you serve yourself.