1975 Plus 33 Years

The Sunday, January 13 Washington Post included a feature on US Army Lieutenant General Lloyd J. Austin III http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/12/AR2008011202394.html?referrer=emailarticle. 

General Austin graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1975, the same year that I graduated from the University of Notre Dame.  Edward Maney, a high school classmate of mine from Sam Houston High in San Antonio graduated with General Austin from West Point. 

Edward eventually became an Army chaplain.  His last assignment was as chief of chaplains at Fort Sam Houston were he oversaw the ministry serving servicemembers recovering from Iraqi and Afghanistan war injuries at Brooke Army Medical Center in our hometown.  He now leads a Baptist congregation in the zip code (78220) where I grew up. 

General Austin “stayed the course.”  As I read the Washington Post feature, I realized that the story has some lessons for others.  Before General Austin entered West Point as a plebe, folks in the black community were talking about racism, civil rights, and what is wrong with America.  Thirty-three years later, those same discussions continue. 

I do not have exact data, but the Army commissioned less than 250 Regular Army Infantry second lieutenants in 1975.  It established a roadmap, expecting some of us would journey along a challenging path.  A few would eventually become generals, prepared and qualified to respond to the national security challenges of the early 21^st century.  Lloyd is about to assume the day-to-day oversight of US military operations in Iraq.

General David Petreaus, commander of US Forces Iraq, had to approve Lloyd’s assignment as his deputy commander.  David graduated a year before Lloyd from West Point.  He and I served together in our first Army assignments in Vicenza, Italy.  Over the years, both David and Lloyd remained on a path preparing them for their current challenges.  Each had mentors along the way investing their time, talents, and skills. 

Thomasville, Georgia where Lloyd spent his high school years is 133 miles from Chauncey, Georgia where my late father grew up and where our family still holds reunions on Thanksgiving Day.  We can be thankful to live in a country where mentors mold black males “from the sticks (country)” to go on to make significant contributions to the nation.

Perhaps we can put a check in this “I Have a Dream” box in celebration of Dr. King’s birthday!