U.S. Army Major Gen. Russell Czerw ’83 credits his St. Lawrence baseball coach with persuading him to become a dentist, and that decision led to a rise through the ranks in the military.

Czerw (pronounced “surf”) was promoted two ranks to major general by the Army in July 2006, and promptly took command of the Army Medical Department Center at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Tex., which trains all Army enlisted medical personnel. He is also post commander and chief of the Army Dental Corps.

Czerw grew up in Utica, NY.  A biology major, he was also active in music at St. Lawrence, where he sang Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha in his senior year. He also participated in ROTC, helping lead his unit to top honors during Army training at Fort Bragg, NC, as a senior. He earned his DDS degree at SUNY Buffalo and has been a member of St. Lawrence's Alumni Executive Council.

An outstanding member of the St. Lawrence baseball team, Czerw told the Utica newspaper that it was his coach, Tom Fay, who convinced him after a promising tryout with the Boston Red Sox to go to dental school instead of hanging his hopes on pro baseball. That led directly to his career with the Army Dental Corps. He has had extended assignments in Germany and Washington, D.C., in his 19-year career with the Corps, and a memorable tour in Iraq where he also commanded a combat stress control unit.

He and his wife, college classmate Michelle Alexander Czerw, have a daughter, Danielle, 17.