WHY YOU WRITE
The articles in the Why We Fight issue struck a strong chord with me. I graduated from SCU in ’72 in biology, I was in ROTC 1969-1970, and I relived those days through the articles as I read each one. My dad was a colonel in the Air Force, and I remember not telling people that fact—as well as making myself scarce on campus, since it was unpopular to wear a uniform on campus while going to and from ROTC classes.
I’m so glad things have changed, and that it is now cool to wear a uniform, and stand tall for what it represents. Especially now, as my son just joined the Army and is now at boot camp with medic training around the corner. Thank goodness for the authors of these articles.
I feel privileged to have been among classmates like Joe Peterson ’72, who I remember in ROTC map reading and other classes. It is so true that our nation’s warriors and scholars should be one and the same; that’s what we need to be a nation among nations that prevents and manages world conflicts when they arise, rather than just a force that reacts to conflict.
Long live ROTC at SCU! My hat is off to you and my heart is open.
Michael J. Kennedy ’72
Oakdale, Calif.
Many thanks for an exceptionally fine issue, offering much wisdom and reflection. I appreciated the balanced view of having [articles on] ROTC on campus and “Bribes, bombs, and outright lies” on Clarence Darrow! And for me, as a Central Coast dweller, the article about Leon Panetta ’60, J.D. ’63 was especially welcome. Good work.
Betty Neville Michelozzi ’68
Aptos
The winter issue was the best one in years. It is a fitting tribute to all the men and women who have served our country, and how the University connected with that service. I was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marines during our graduation ceremony and kind of stood out in my dress whites in a field of Army greens, but the link between what we learned during our days at Santa Clara and what it takes to become a leader of men was not lost on any of us who raised their right hand that day and took an oath to defend this country. The year was 1969, a turbulent time indeed. I am grateful that Santa Clara Magazine has recognized the service and sacrifice of so many students who answered their nation’s call.
Stephen E. Petit ’69
San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Your winter issue is a disgusting glorification of U.S. imperialist militarism and war. The Jesuit mission is about serving the poor and the oppressed, not recruiting trained killers to serve the rich oppressors. In Christ’s day, Leon Panetta would be Pontius Pilate!
Michael Graham ’96
Los Angeles
I was shocked at the jingoism displayed in the winter issue. I was an ROTC cadet in 1969, my freshman year, and remained one until the spring of 1970. I had planned to make the military my career back then. Why did I stop ROTC? Because by 1970, many friends who had not gotten a college deferment were coming back from serving in Vietnam—where I had not understood the magnitude of what we were doing and what was happening. Friends who returned from their tour of duty began to march against the war. I can’t tell you the impact that had on me. When you showed the picture of ROTC cadets marching over protesters at SCU, I knew many if not most of the students involved on both sides. To this day I wish I had been wiser, smarter, and angrier at what we were doing in Vietnam. I still struggle with how we, as a nation, can be so easily stampeded by fear into invading other countries and killing so many people on flimsy arguments and outright lies.
Eric Lane ’73
San Antonio, Texas
BRONCO BATTALION
Shortly after our winter magazine was published, the SCU Bronco Battalion was again recognized with the MacArthur Award for excellence. Along with a tremendous outpouring of letters in response to Sam Scott’s article on ROTC on campus, many folks responded to our call to share ROTC memories.
Fantastic article about an amazing facet of Santa Clara that so few really know about. In every major conflict, a Santa Clara graduate has led troops. Not to be forgotten: If one enters the Mission and turns right, just inside the doors, you can find historic plaques listing the names of graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice for our great country. Back in World War I, it was actually a Santa Clara graduate who made famous the phrase “Lafayette, we have returned”—not Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing, as many mistakenly believe. Silver Star winners, Bronze Star winners … there are so many great men and women who have brought the Santa Clara values of competence, conscience, and compassion to the U.S. Military.
Santa Clara ROTC graduates have left a definite impression on the U.S. military and the world. Thank you for putting the spotlight on their history. I hope that you keep that light shining as bright as their service certainly has.
The platoon that Brittany Clark ’09 led in Afghanistan found more IEDs than any platoon in Afghanistan during her time, yet she did not have a single casualty. That is not luck, that is great leadership. Recently she won the MacArthur Leadership Award in her division and is now up for the same award at the European Theater level. If she wins that, she would then be competing at the U.S. Army level; only about 20 officers out of the approximately 80,000 eligible win that each year.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Shawn Cowley
Professor of Military Science at SCU, 2007–10
I enjoyed reading the article by Sam Scott ’96 about the Bronco Battalion. When I arrived at SCU as a professor of military science, the battalion had some ridiculous name not at all related to SCU. One of my first actions was to go to the Department of the Army and have the name officially changed to the Bronco Battalion. In 1986, I received permission to have a formal ROTC Color Guard raise the flag on campus every Tuesday. In an effort to connect with the faculty, we began hosting a party in September to welcome the faculty back to campus.
Though I retired in 1988 after 27 years of active duty, I returned to SCU in 1996 to commission my son. He is currently on active duty and about to be promoted to lieutenant colonel. I have many fond memories of SCU and consider my three years there one of the highlights of my military career.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Michael A. Parkes
Professor of Military Science at SCU, 1985–88
My SCU Army ROTC training, including extra involvement in the Pershing Rifles, gave me the foundation needed for a successful career in the Army Reserve components and the United Nations. I completed a 28-year career as a traditional citizen soldier. My service included preparing units in the U.S. Army Reserve and Guam Army National Guard for deployments abroad. I served as commander of a combat heavy engineer company that served in Iraq, and of the 1-294th Light Infantry Battalion that has served in the Horn of Africa and is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan.
After retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1999, I put my experience as a lawyer and soldier to work as an international civil servant with the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping for seven years, working with a variety of NATO units, including U.S. Army elements serving in Kosovo. I’m proud to have served. I now teach ethics in government to newly elected officials, department heads, and board members, serve as hearing officer for various government of Guam agencies, and as a referee in the Superior Court of Guam.
Robert Cruz ’71, J.D. ’83
Hagåtña, Guam
Although there are some great stories in the winter issue, you missed a huge point not mentioning Everett Alvarez Jr. ’60—Alvarez was the first U.S. combat pilot shot down over Vietnam and held as a POW for more than eight years. Upon his return home, he remained in the Navy until 1980. His decorations include the Silver Star, two Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and two Purple Heart Medals. Alvarez went on to a distinguished public service career, serving as the deputy director of the Peace Corps, the deputy administrator of the Veterans Administration, and chairman of the CARES Commission, an independent panel recommending critical change within the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a true hero!
Greg McNulty ’77
San Francisco
GENERAL JOE
I had the privilege of serving in Iraq with Lt. Gen. Joe Peterson ’72 in 2005-06; along with Special Agent Bob Gorini ’71, we were the Santa Clara Alumni Baghdad Chapter. I saw him every morning in the rotunda of the U.S. Embassy. As I was conducting a quick safety briefing with my staff before we departed in “full battle rattle,” Joe would walk by with his security detail. He’d always look over at me, give me a big smile, and say “Go Broncos!”
Col. Tom Eichenberg ’76, M.S. ’77
U.S. Army Reserve, Retired
REVIEW, 1970
The photo of anti-war protestors disrupting the 1970 ROTC President’s Review brought back memories of a tumultuous time. It’s easy to forget the extreme polarization, but by 1970, few seemed able to respect the views of the other side. I remember Dean Gerald McGrath that day, asking us to cease the disruption. I could see his point of view—not least because he seemed to understand ours. For me, this was a learning experience, and the best of what SCU and a Jesuit education represented.
Word then was that the Associated Press photographer who took that photo died later that day of a heart attack. Out of respect, his colleagues ran the photo on a wire that got worldwide distribution.
Tom Waldrop ’69
San Jose
The person saluting and stepping over the protestor isn’t Ed Anderson ’70, it’s me, Richard Leslie ’70. The person on the far left is Jim Passalacqua ’70. I knew the protestors; in fact, many were friends of my future wife, Kathy (Shoenhard) Leslie ’70—though she wasn’t at the protest.
We knew the protestors were going to be there ahead of time. We discussed it with our professor of military science, and we decided that we would disregard the protestors as best we could.
After graduating, I went to Fort Sill in Oklahoma for a year; after that, I spent three years in Germany as a nuclear weapons advisor to the German Air Force. Following my service, I returned to Berkeley and enrolled in seminary. I am now an Episcopal priest and rector of St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Church in Pacific Grove.
Richard Leslie ’70
Pacific Grove
ENEMY TO EMPATHY
It was refreshing to read about Bill Stover’s consistent efforts to help people see from another point of view. It is hugely relevant to the United States today.
For my entire lifetime, my nation has been at war—save a possible hiatus from 1945 until 1950, when the United States sent forces to fight in Korea. Like other countries, we justify our actions. Now we toy with adding another war (or military action) to the several we have ongoing.
What if the president and his secretary of defense were to insist that the discussion of Iran and its enriched uranium be considered from Iran’s point of view? Part of that view is that it faces two military powers that express continuous hostility. Each of these two nations has hundreds of nuclear weapons. One has used them. Both have a history of preemptive strikes against other nations. Each always has ready justifications for its actions. Our country is one of those two nations.
Patriotic and pragmatic voices like Stover’s ask us to think and act. Kudos for publishing the report of his work.
Howard C. Anawalt
Emeritus Professor of Law School at SCU
What a fantastic idea and use of modern technology to enhance and embrace learning those things that are most important—empathy and understanding. Bravo!
Laura Thomas ’71
Oceanside
ROCK ON, JORMA
I have been a fan of Jorma Kaukonen ’64 [Alumni Arts, Winter 2012 SCM] and Jack Casady for decades. It’s one of the reasons that I produced an outdoor concert of Hot Tuna on Ryan Field while student body vice president my junior year at SCU, in spring of ’78. The field was packed with students and non-students. The weather was amazing that day and the music was even better—just ask the mayor of Santa Clara that year: He rode his bike to campus to ask me to lower the volume.
Dennis Maguire ’79
New Orleans
During the summer of ’70, when Jefferson Airplane was at its peak, they gave a “private” concert at Buck Shaw for the seniors, thanks to Jorma’s SCU connection. Watching Grace Slick from 50 yards away belt out “White Rabbit” in a hooded, mini-length faux-fur dress on a warm summer day was electrifying. But, ever since, Kaukonen’s “Embryonic Journey” has been an all time favorite.
J.T. Gregory ’70
Pleasant Hill, Calif.
GLOBAL CITIZEN OPPORTUNITIES
It is wonderful to see the Global Social Benefit Fellows program [Mission Matters, Winter 2012 SCM] being added to the opportunities that SCU has extended to undergraduate students for many years. Donovan Fellows receive stipends of $1,500 to do work on global projects. The stipend supports individually motivated project plans for summer internships. The program is administered by the Ignatian Center and supported by an endowment from the Jesuit community. In existence since 2000, it awards 15 fellowships per year.
For the last four years, the Global Fellows program has placed 15–30 undergraduate students in internships with non-governmental organizations in a developing country. Many of these placements are with women leaders who have attended the Women Leaders for the World program here at SCU. Global Fellows was created with the vision and support of former Dean of the Leavey School of Business Barry Posner, current Dean Drew Starbird MBA ’84, and Dean of the School of Engineering Godfrey Mungal.
All of the Santa Clara “global citizen” experiences are contributing to creating graduates who are truly leaders of competence, conscience, and compassion.
Linda T. Alepin
Dean’s Executive Professor of Entrepreneurship, SCU;
Founding Director, Global Women’s Leadership Network
Elizabeth Powers
Director of International Studies, Leavey School of Business
Professor of Practice
GO, SISTERS!
As an alum of the awesome Santa Clara University Pastoral Ministry program, I always enjoy your magazine! Our parish receptionist could not wait for me to get my issue at home and brought this article [“Sisters Act,” Fall 2011 SCM] right to me. She said, “I never knew.” “Knew what?” I asked. “The significant contribution of you sisters!!!” Just a little fyi … the only nuns that are “nuns” are those wonderful religious women in the enclosed order, and are doing significant miracles in the world by their 24/7/365 prayers for us; and the religious women, who are “out and about” in the world, like myself, are called sisters.
Thank you so much, Michael Whalen, for this documentary—I so look forward to seeing it in its entirety! Keep us posted on dates.
I love being a sister and am very proud of our ministry throughout the ages and throughout the world! Yet, what I love more … is that we just quietly live together (well, maybe not always—we do have to keep working out that relational living we all embrace), pray together, study justice and action together, and just go about our work of God with joy without a fuss or need for any accolades! We simply just do what we do … because we are simply in love with our God and our beautiful global community, believing in our sacred unity and the dignity and compassion for all!
I am happily a Dominican of Mission San Jose (in Fremont, Calif.), and there is a saying among Dominicans, at large: “When you meet one Dominican, you have met one Dominican.” And that is certainly true!
God blesses you all, just breathe it in! Peace out and peace within.
Rebecca Shinas M.A. ’03, O.P.
P.S. Friend me on Facebook if you’d like : )