Testimonial: Navy Rear Admiral (ret) B. James Lowe, Columbia College 51
HERITAGE – Navy Rear Admiral (ret) B. James Lowe, Columbia College 51
When I first entered Columbia College in '47 it was on the wings of a NROTC scholarship. At least 50% of my classmates were vets returning from WWII under the auspices of the GI BILL. One of my NROTC classmates was Bob Hayman who had been in the Battle of the Bulge as an infantryman and had seen over 50% of his infantry company decimated by the German attack. When I asked Bob why he elected continuing naval service rather than simply accepting the benefits of the GI education bill, his reply was straightforward: " I guess I felt that I still owed my country and my buddies a debt.
While many of my NROTC classmates may not have had this great a commitment to start -- they by the end of '51 and our commencement had acquired it. The Great Book Courses and the education acquired at one of the finest universities in the world permitted us to infuse our credentials and principles into our assignments in the Navy and the Marine Corp. We clearly saw the imminent threats to our nation and society; The Korean War was ongoing; President Truman had issued the Executive Order for integration of minorities into all functions of the service; the Cold War was commencing in earnest: and the need for new strategies, new tactics and new defensive and attack weapons to meet the threats of the nuclear age were upon us. It was a challenging leadership and management opportunity. Every day posed a new and different problem.
I kept close contacts with my classmates -- and they were most successful in their Service tours. In one case, the Commanding Officer of a ship wrote the Superintendent of the Naval Academy to voice the opinion that the Ivy Leaguer he had on board was head-and-shoulders above his Naval Academy colleagues. And guess what? The Naval Academy started changing its curriculum! By the end of 1970 the impact of NROTC on the Navy had changed the character of the Naval Academy from being called contemptuously the “Steam School” to respectful acknowledgment that it was a unique university embracing humanities, history, foreign policy studies, business management and other liberal art courses.
Those in my Columbia College graduating Class of 51 who elected to leave to return to civilian life achieved almost without exception major professional and business success. Why? In discussions with my classmates, they stated that the immense responsibilities placed on them from "Day 1" gave them more of a sense of discipline, moral perspective and shared obligation to their comrades and assigned personnel than they could have possibly obtained first by civilian employment. In civilian life, their service was honored and respected.
In my own case, after Destroyer duty and Submarine assignments, the Navy sent me to MIT for three years postgraduate work. Later in the Navy -- and then in civilian life I had the immense satisfaction of making some unique technical and scientific contributions. Many of my fellow Columbian NROTC'ers did the same.
The camaraderie, the long term friendships based on shared hardships, the knowledge that a network for professional or emergency reasons was, and is, always there--- cannot be achieved anywhere else -- other than possibly that which can be obtained by a close and bonding family.
Now in this new millennium, we are facing new threats to family and Nation. The challenges and the opportunities are immense. Columbians should be there to insert the highest principles and standards into the Government and the military service. We should strive to make every effort to ensure the understanding that must exist between the military and the society that they serve and protect.
I wish that I could embrace those opportunities --and rewards-- again!
B. J. Lowe, RADM, USNR RET
Columbia College 1951
When I first entered Columbia College in '47 it was on the wings of a NROTC scholarship. At least 50% of my classmates were vets returning from WWII under the auspices of the GI BILL. One of my NROTC classmates was Bob Hayman who had been in the Battle of the Bulge as an infantryman and had seen over 50% of his infantry company decimated by the German attack. When I asked Bob why he elected continuing naval service rather than simply accepting the benefits of the GI education bill, his reply was straightforward: " I guess I felt that I still owed my country and my buddies a debt.
While many of my NROTC classmates may not have had this great a commitment to start -- they by the end of '51 and our commencement had acquired it. The Great Book Courses and the education acquired at one of the finest universities in the world permitted us to infuse our credentials and principles into our assignments in the Navy and the Marine Corp. We clearly saw the imminent threats to our nation and society; The Korean War was ongoing; President Truman had issued the Executive Order for integration of minorities into all functions of the service; the Cold War was commencing in earnest: and the need for new strategies, new tactics and new defensive and attack weapons to meet the threats of the nuclear age were upon us. It was a challenging leadership and management opportunity. Every day posed a new and different problem.
I kept close contacts with my classmates -- and they were most successful in their Service tours. In one case, the Commanding Officer of a ship wrote the Superintendent of the Naval Academy to voice the opinion that the Ivy Leaguer he had on board was head-and-shoulders above his Naval Academy colleagues. And guess what? The Naval Academy started changing its curriculum! By the end of 1970 the impact of NROTC on the Navy had changed the character of the Naval Academy from being called contemptuously the “Steam School” to respectful acknowledgment that it was a unique university embracing humanities, history, foreign policy studies, business management and other liberal art courses.
Those in my Columbia College graduating Class of 51 who elected to leave to return to civilian life achieved almost without exception major professional and business success. Why? In discussions with my classmates, they stated that the immense responsibilities placed on them from "Day 1" gave them more of a sense of discipline, moral perspective and shared obligation to their comrades and assigned personnel than they could have possibly obtained first by civilian employment. In civilian life, their service was honored and respected.
In my own case, after Destroyer duty and Submarine assignments, the Navy sent me to MIT for three years postgraduate work. Later in the Navy -- and then in civilian life I had the immense satisfaction of making some unique technical and scientific contributions. Many of my fellow Columbian NROTC'ers did the same.
The camaraderie, the long term friendships based on shared hardships, the knowledge that a network for professional or emergency reasons was, and is, always there--- cannot be achieved anywhere else -- other than possibly that which can be obtained by a close and bonding family.
Now in this new millennium, we are facing new threats to family and Nation. The challenges and the opportunities are immense. Columbians should be there to insert the highest principles and standards into the Government and the military service. We should strive to make every effort to ensure the understanding that must exist between the military and the society that they serve and protect.
I wish that I could embrace those opportunities --and rewards-- again!
B. J. Lowe, RADM, USNR RET
Columbia College 1951
posted by Hamilton Society Admin at 10/07/2006 12:09:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home