Voice from my past

Yesterday, I received a phone call from a past mentor of mine, and an individual who more than most others, is responsible for me doing today what I am doing…editing Army Engineer magazine. LTG (Ret) Jack Morris was Chief of Engineers during the period when I worked as a Major in the Pentagon (1976-1980). While at that time I had only infrequent contact with him (staffing actions, etc) it was later, after he had retired, that he became an important part of my post-Army professional life. General Morris and another key mentor of mine LTG (Ret) Dan Schroeder, were largely responsible for the creation of the Army Engineer Association. I was asked if I would serve as the first Executive Director of the fledgling non-profit organization and I agreed. When I began work, I soon found out that the job was going to be much more difficult than I had imagined, and my days were spent working with many retired and highly regarded senior Army engineers, seeking to develop a framework for future financial and operational success. One day when I was seemingly overwhelmed with concern about whether or not our new programs were going to be successful (the bank balance at the time was not growing from month-to-month and in fact went into negative territory at times), General Morris called me on the phone and asked if it would be OK for him to stop by my small office to "have some lunch and talk". Of course I said "Yes, Sir", and asked when he'd be there. He said, "I'm in the building snack bar right now, would you like me to bring you a hot dog and drink, along with what I'll eat?" Within minutes, in the door he walked with hot dogs and drinks for each of us. This was not the sort of "luncheon engagement" I would have expected to have with a prior Chief of Engineers. Three hours later, after listening to his personal and caring encouragement to me, and observing his unbounded enthusiasm concerning where he envisioned the association eventually going regardless of immediate organizational and financial challenges, my attitude and outlook improved tremendously. That was the first, but no where near the last time we would share such conversations. Always, I left with a greater sense of purpose and determination. When he called me yesterday to say hello and offer his compliments in relation to the quality and content of Army Engineer magazine, I felt as if we were again sitting side by side, eating hot dogs together. He's much older now of course (as am I) and yesterday he reminded me he was a World War II veteran, and that he really enjoyed reading the materials in our magazine about engineer service during that momentous period. So today, I went back and looked at his service history, just to refresh my mind in relation to all he'd done and accomplished. To have a person like him as a mentor is wonderful, and I suppose if it were not for his earlier encouragement and guidance, I'd probably be mowing grass or fishing full time today. Thanks, Sir!