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I have long stopped reading or watching news about our war in Iraq until today when I received my GW Magazine. I was touched by the stories from GW alumni who were on the front line in Iraq. It exposed me to the other side of the story—the cheerful, hopeful, and grateful part, untold by the media. It is unfortunate and sad that the [death] tolls of U.S. solders are rising. Yet we should not forget that there are still many more in Iraq, fighting for freedom. Thank you for your issue. Thank you for reminding us to be proud Americans.

Yenching Ho, MA ’98
Washington, D.C.

I have taken the liberty of citing the fall issue of GW Magazine as an example to two other institutions from which I graduated, Yale University and Georgetown University, reflecting not their typical fawning upon left wing politicians, but a celebration of the contributions of GW graduates toward democracy in Iraq. I expect they may request copies of GW Magazine in the near future.

Richard T. Wojciechowski, MBA ’79
Montrose, Colo.

I was impressed with the articles about our military serving in Iraq in the GW Magazine’s fall 2005 issue. It is refreshing to read articles that portray what our brave military men and women are accomplishing on the behalf of freedom and global security. Regrettably, the mainstream press seldom report encouraging news from the front lines.

Margaret (Turrentine) Knoche, MS ’89
Savannah, Ga.

My husband is an alumnus, and we regularly receive GW Magazine. Your coverage of GW alumni serving in our armed forces was extremely well done, and I wanted you to know that at least one person not affiliated with the University appreciated your excellent work. I’ve made copies of some of the articles and am sharing them with my military pen pals and military supporter friends.

Karen Perry
Ponte Verda Beach, Fla.

Thank you so much for your articles regarding the students serving in the military. This was a wonderful issue. I compliment you for sharing their stories. The actual experiences of the young men and women serving in Iraq are so rarely heard. You have done them, and our country, a great service.

Lana Simning
Laguna Hills, Calif.

I want to congratulate your entire staff on the wonderful writings by Jamie L. Freedman on the contributions of the students and alumni in Iraq. Since its early days, GW has played active roles in protecting the rights and liberties of the United States.

After observing the disgraceful way many U.S. universities have disrespected the military services, I was delighted with the favorable and supportive articles in GW Magazine. It made me proud of my University. Many of the experiences with the populace were similar to my Vietnam experience only to be subverted on the home front.

Edmund C. Hughes, BS ’52, MEA ’67
Tucson, Ariz.

I saw your update about alumni serving our country and wanted to add Jeff Winston, class of 2002, who was deployed by the Army in October 2005 to serve in Iraq.

God bless all our troops. Thanks for keeping us posted on our fellow classmates.

Gloria P. Benalcazar, BA ’02
Silver Spring, Md.

I read your story “On the Front Line” and remembered a classmate, Nicholas Krimont, who lost his life two weeks after getting to Vietnam. His name is to the right of the center of the Wall. Would someone put a flower there sometime? I am far, far away now.

Star Lawrence, BA ’66
Chandler, Ariz.

I just finished reading my fall 2005 copy of GW Magazine. I especially enjoyed “On the Front Line: Colonials in Iraq” and “From Class to Brass.” I am pleased to see that GW is continuing the great support of the U.S. military. Thank you, GW.

Melbourne Kimsey, MSBA ’66
Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret.
Fairfield Suisun, Calif.

I just finished reading the Fall 2005 edition. The article “On the Front Line” by Jamie L. Freedman was excellent. It made me very proud of my fellow Colonials and of all our troops in Iraq (not to mention those in Afghanistan and Bosnia, which nobody does).

This article was quite a contrast to the one by Richard C. Hottelet, “Of Wars and Correspondents,” in which he complains that war correspondents today are not as welcomed by the troops as they were during World War II. If Mr. Hottelet wants to know why, he should read Ms. Freedman’s article and compare that to the evening news.

I remember watching the evening TV news during the invasion of Grenada. Once they showed a wounded marine being carried off on a stretcher. A TV reporter shoved a microphone in his face and demanded, “Now what do you think of Reagan’s policy of invading Grenada?” The marine simply looked back in disgust and didn’t answer.

Could you imagine a WWII reporter shoving a microphone in the face of a wounded GI and asking, “What do you now think of Roosevelt’s stubborn demand for unconditional surrender and refusal to seek a separate peace with Hitler?” He or she would have been immediately sent home and would have been shunned by his or her fellow correspondents.

Ken Geisinger, MS ’70
Bradenton, Fla.

I graduated with a BA from GW, where I was a reporter for the Hatchet and played in the GW band. I later attended GW’s School of Medicine on the GI Bill after serving in the Navy. I also served with the Air Force in the Korean War for two years and then went on to obtain my boards in internal medicine and endocrinology.

I was lucky to be appointed chief of endocrinology at three major hospitals in Miami. I was always active at the University of Miami School of Medicine, where I am still a clinical professor. I had the honor of meeting with our president, Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, on occasions here in Miami. He has done a magnificent job for our school.

I attribute my wonderful life to my education at GW and am doubly proud of this article. I have been married for 52 years and have three wonderful children and five wonderful grandchildren.

Congratulations on the great work being done at my alma mater, your GW Magazine, and especially your president who has made GW one of the most respected universities in our beloved country.

Seymour Alterman, BA ’44, MD ’47
North Miami, Fla.

Another View

Your article “On the Front Line” spotlighting the heroism and sacrifice of my fellow GW alumni in Iraq was welcome. On the other hand, the author’s tone and viewpoint were not. I hope that, in the future, your magazine will try harder to present more balanced material.

Greg Francis, BA ’87
Denver

What a shock to see the militarization of the University. Consider balancing your three articles on war in the GW Magazine with three articles on peace in the next issue. You need not go back further than September, when more than 500,000 people gathered near the University to protest our “war of choice” in Iraq. Some 63 percent of all Americans believe the government should be forming a plan to pull out. You can also go back 30 years when many GW graduates, including me, demonstrated to successfully end what almost everyone now recognizes as America’s mistaken war in Vietnam.

Roger Mills, JD ’74
Stockbridge, Ga.

“GW students and alumni have stepped behind the headlines and into the front line, playing a central role in Iraq’s liberation and march toward democracy,” (Fall 2005, page 11).

Where’d you get this tripe? Did you go straight to administration speechwriters for it? If you really care about our troops in Iraq, you wouldn’t push this hogwash.

I’m insulted and outraged that my University is being used as a mouthpiece for a corrupt and dangerous foreign policy.

Cynthia Gair, MBA ’83
San Francisco

As a 1967 alumna of GW, I am appalled at this “war” issue from what I thought was an enlightened liberal arts university.

Why can’t you issue a critical, humane look at this disaster, rather than support such a bankrupt point of view. I am ashamed to have graduated from this institution where I was lucky enough to be taught by such great humanists and artists as Stephen Spender and James Dickie. Ah, the times have changed in Washington.

Mary Bauer, BA ’67
Portland, Ore.

The Editor Replies:

We are sorry that some readers viewed the fall 2005 GW Magazine as a political statement. It was not meant to be one. We were sharing some of the many stories of GW alumni serving in the military. We aim to be a nonpartisan magazine intended for all alumni.

I was a little disappointed to see that you did not mention our fifth armed service, the U.S. Coast Guard, in your article “From Class to Brass: Exploring GW’s Military Connections.” I realize that your article focused on active programs the military has with the school, but including us with the other services you mentioned would continue to educate others on our important role as a military service, not to mention our connection to GW.

One Coast Guard member and GW alum who has recently received a lot of praise is Coast Guard chief of staff Vice Adm. Thad Allen, MPA ’86, who led the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina.
Thanks for putting together the article. I would just regret it if I did not share the above information with you. We are the fifth service, the smallest service, but a very proud service. Like all the others we have folks serving overseas participating in the war on terror and like all the other services have seen death and injury for answering the call.

LCDR Roxanne Tamez, MS ’03
Deputy Commander
Sector Field Office Moriches, East Moriches, N.Y.