OCS: A Family Affair

Prior to attending OCS, I became engaged to a beautiful Chinese girl from Hong Kong. We were to be married as soon as she obtained her visa. Her visa was approved right after I obtained senior status.

Her family and mine were unable to make it to Georgia and my classmates took over in making the wedding arrangements. It became a project for Class 20-70. Our Company Commander, Captain Mayo B. Parks, gave the bride away and Candidate Robert C. Domeck served as best man. The Class provided an honor guard and the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Bliss, sponsored a reception at the Officer's Club. My wife and I will always be indebted to my classmates for giving us a great start in our marriage. Their support showed us that the Army is a family affair.

There were many lessons learned by me as a result of my classmates participation in our wedding arrangements. It was difficult enough for me to complete the course but to begin new life as a husband was an added responsibility I did not thoroughly contemplate.

There was a lot of mentoring that was done for my wife and me. As a result, my wife through six years of active duty and 24 years of Reserve Service has shared with me a concern for the members of of units as my classmates did for me back in 1970.

The OCS tradition of awarding the wives their gold bar one day prior to the husbands is a well-deserved honor.