Wednesday, September 12, 2001

Military mulls involvement, reaction tactics in assaults
By Jonathan Sampson
Skiff Staff

Jonathan Kohn, a junior biology major and a member of the Army Reserves, received a call from his unit Tuesday saying that they were on a state of alert, meaning he was one call away from being mobilized.

The attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center Tuesday shook many lives, including those involved with military activities at TCU.

Kohn, a medic with the 4005th U.S. Army Hospital, said that if he is called, it will be to serve with other medics in New York City or Washington, D.C.

“In one way, I feel very scared as a civilian,” he said. “But as a soldier, I have a concern for the welfare of others.”

Army and Air Force ROTC students will not be called to assist in a military capacity because they are neither enlisted nor commissioned personnel for the armed forces.

Lt. Col. Jim House, professor of military science at TCU, said he could not make any public statements about the situation, but said that the events have affected the students.

“We experience the same shock as anyone else that’s hearing the news,” he said.

House said the skills cadets learn prepare them to lead in situations like this, so instruction in the classroom will not be altered. This is a wake-up call to the students, and it shows some of the problems they will encounter in the future, he said.

“I think they better understand the world they will be facing,” House said.

Cadet Battalion Cmdr. Todd Anderson, a senior history major, said he was shocked to hear the news. He said he now sees a more definite goal in his military education, a sense of urgency and a desire to be ready.

He said attacking with commercial airlines is completely outside the military mindset.

“You don’t attack civilians, you just don’t,” Anderson said. “It’s unthinkable and atrocious. It’s the way animals fight.”

Spencer Tucker, a former TCU professor, said Tuesday’s events will have many implications for the military. Tucker, the John Biggs chairman of military history at Virginia Military Institute, said it is necessary for President George W. Bush to exercise bold, imaginative and decisive leadership.

“This is the time for the United States to roll up its sleeves and say, ‘We will not be pushed around in this way,’” Tucker said.

The government needs to quickly fix blame, consult with its allies and take action, he said.

“I regard this as an act of war against the (United States) and I would treat it as such,” Tucker said.

Kohn said that if he and others are called to serve, there will be many ramifications, including postponing his education at a moment’s notice.

“My parents are very supportive,” he said. “They are proud I’m in the military and wouldn’t have any problem with me being deployed.”

The Navy sent guided missile destroyers and aircraft carriers to New York City and Washington, D.C., to assist with defense and medical needs Tuesday, according to reports from The Associated Press.

Jonathan Sampson
j.m.sampson@student.tcu.edu