No matter where in the world his work takes him, Richard Rowe ’73 carries his liberal arts education with him. “I enjoyed a rich liberal arts program at St Lawrence; I took a bunch of history and government courses in addition to my major in economics,” he explains. “I acquired critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary for military operations and planning.”
Most recently, Gen. Rowe completed his duty as the Commanding General for the U.S. Army Military District of Washington and the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region (JFHQ NCR) in Washington D.C., and was transferred to Baghdad, where he is director of the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission as part of Multi-National Forces Iraq.
“In Washington, I provided supervision for The Old Guard, The U.S. Army Band, the Army Aviation Operations Group and Arlington National Cemetery as well as five U.S. Army Garrisons,” he explains. “In Iraq, I provide advice and training to build strategic capacity in the Ministry of the Interior and its police agencies as well as in the Ministry of Defense and the Army, Navy and Air Force, and for the Iraqi National Intelligence Community.”
Gen. Rowe’s role allowed him to participate in the recent presidential inauguration. “It was incredible to be part of the 56th Presidential Inaugural,” he says. “When the nation elects a president, they also provide the military with a commander in chief. It was an honor to present the Presidential Escort to the newly inaugurated president and vice president with their spouses.”
Asked for advice he would give students about to enter the “real world,” Gen. Rowe says, “Take advantage of the opportunity to learn by doing and occasionally failing. Do your absolute best at what you are asked to do. Support your teammates; success is not limited to one person. Be fit spiritually (values are important to be lived and practiced), mentally (continue to study and read widely) and physically (endurance and strength are key underpinnings of being able to handle the toughest work and decisions).”
