1992

1992

With Veterans Day approaching I asked classmates who have served our country: How did your time at Dartmouth affect your experience in the military?

Jennifer Frederick Bantner wrote: “While at Dartmouth our professor of military science, Major Fil, used to stand in front of us, holding out his left hand and twisting his wedding ring, saying that there was only one thing more important than the Army: family. As a new second lieutenant I remember wishing that Fil shared more practical advice, but over 25 years of service I developed a new respect for the lessons Fil taught us. I have four daughters, three still in high school (one is a potential ’22), and the Army has been good to us. My battalion command ends in September. The next assignment will be with the yellow ribbon and suicide prevention programs within the Midwest region. During the week I am an academic advisor with a local community college.”

Alex Kugajevsky wrote: “I stayed an extra year to complete the ROTC program and ended up walking graduation with the ’93s. So ROTC allowed me to get to know two Dartmouth classes really well—the ’92s and the ’93s—for which I am very grateful. During my military service I encountered people from very different backgrounds, experiences and cultures. I found that Dartmouth had really prepared me well to interact with and experience this diversity, and allowed me to bring a much deeper appreciation and perspective to each interaction—all of which led to a much richer and fulfilling military adventure!”

David Orringer wrote: “I served as the medical director and group surgeon for the Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Group (Special Operations command). I was active duty from 2001 to 2007 and deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. Like most of our classmates my time at Dartmouth afforded me the opportunity to grow and mature into a leader prepared for world service. The availability of a broadly diverse student body, coupled with the scholarship and teachings of our world-renowned faculty provided an excellent springboard for international duty. Needless to say, my Dartmouth pedigree was not unnoticed during my Air Force career; I have no doubts that the respect the Dartmouth degree garners led to my rapid promotion and appointment to leadership roles. Currently, I am in Arizona working as a physician. My oldest son is a junior in high school and we will visit Hanover next spring! I am still an avid cyclist, scuba diver, swimmer and hiker. Naturally, I continue musical pursuits and have a studio at home.”

I’ll pass along more responses next time.

Meanwhile, here’s a request from the current president of Dartmouth College Uniformed Service Alumni, our very own Winnie Huang: “Please invite our entire class to our sixth annual Dartmouth veterans banquet and fifth annual James Wright Award presentation on Saturday, November 11, at the Langham, Boston at 6 p.m.—our first banquet ever outside of Hanover and the day after the Dartmouth vs. Brown football game at Fenway Park. We will be honoring all of our veterans with a focus on our Vietnam veterans. President Emeritus James Wright is our keynote speaker. For more info and to RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/VetBanq.”

Speaking of the big game, if you’re in the Boston area please go and take some photos for me, because I’m very sad I can’t attend. If there are tickets left, they’d be available at redsox. com/gridiron.

Kelly Shriver Kolln, 3900 Cottage Grove Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403; (920) 306-2192; dartmouth92news@gmail.com