<b>Leland Smith '03 on Service After Millbrook</b>
First Lieutenant Leland Smith ’03, currently stationed at the US Army base in Fort Hood, Texas, will be returning to Millbrook's campus on Thursday, April 15th for a special presentation to our current students and faculty. Leland has been in touch recently with his former advisor and dorm parent, Somerset Waters, to express how Millbrook had prepared him for the challenges he faces as an officer leading troops in the war zones of Iraq:
“I just returned from a year in Iraq. For most of the deployment I was a platoon leader in charge of about 25 soldiers and the stability of a small Iraqi city's government, along with about 20 surrounding villages. That involved a lot of meetings with the local mayor and city council, along with training and conducting operations with the police and Iraqi army. I was later promoted to company executive officer, which is a much more administrative position but included overseeing all of the civil projects we funded. I learned a great deal about disparities between the world's citizens, how some governments work, and the personalities of some of our enemies.
The emphasis on community service… [at Millbrook]… influenced my decision to serve the country in the capacity I have. The open mindedness that the school stresses also served me well in daily meetings with Iraqi government leaders, soldiers, and reporters from many countries.
My unit is now stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, most recently in the news for a shooting incident on 5 November 2009 by a crazed psychiatrist."
We are thankful to Leland for his willingness to share his stories and look forward to welcoming him back, hearing more about his experiences in leadership and service, and viewing images taken during his deployment. We hope to be able to video tape his chapel talk in the Chelsea Morrison Theater and add that recording to our webcasting page.
