I feel I need to address a couple points in Elisa Lazzarino’s opinion piece on ROTC and militarization. 

Ms. Lazzarino makes many claims; unfortunately, few are supported by facts. It is true that North Carolina’s economy is propped, some, by the federal government by way of the DoD; however, the relationship is largely symbiotic in that the number of civilian jobs created to support the DoD infrastructure in the state contribute to the economy at large.  North Carolina does have a dependence — can you imagine the economic fall eastern and southeastern North Carolina would have should Fort Bragg, Seymour-Johnson AFB, Camp Lejeune, New River MCAS and Cherry Point decided to close shop?  That fall would be the first domino in a massive and devastating blow to the economy in the state for sure.

I would argue Ms. Lazzarino’s claim that this “economic blackmail” stifles creative freedom and exploits students.  To be sure, intellectual and educational freedom in North Carolina and at NC State has led to many significant technologies that have not taken lives but instead saved them, most specifically research into impact-resistant and flame-resistant materials and clothing. The “trickle down” effect with these technologies expanding into the civilian sector has not been insignificant. A few years ago, a Navy grant at UNC-Chapel Hill supported research into making blood products safer; not for the military, but for all, knowing that the U.S. military often donates blood to international disaster victims.

Continuing, Ms. Lazzarino quotes from a previous opinion that supporting ROTC is “contributing to ongoing crimes abroad.” It is apparent that neither Ms. Lazzarino nor Andrew Sheppard understand how our military works, and it is equally apparent that neither seem to want to research. While I do not deny issues in the Global War on Terror (GWOT), please understand that the net ratio of non-combat arms to those whose job it is to actually fight is, depending on funding and other factors, between 7:1 and 12:1; that is, for every one person in a “combat specialty,” between seven and twelve are in support roles. Many of these service member are participating in “unspeakable horrors” such as healthcare, building infrastructure in third world countries, and engaging in disaster relief. In fact, the U.S. military is usually the largest international contributor in immediate post-disaster relief. 

Regarding ROTC specifically, it is true that when one signs on the dotted line it is as a type of indentured servitude to the U.S. government. In that respect, it is little different than the Peace Corps, Teach for America, U.S. Public Health Service, or any other federal program in which you contract. Most concerning is Ms. Lizzarino’s assertion of those in ROTC will be “will likely face the terrible reality of participating in profoundly immoral acts” when history and facts suggest otherwise. For many people in the military the most immoral act they will face is whether or not to pocket a pack of sticky notes. This isn’t to say that immoral acts have not and do not occur; however, again, facts to not bear out the veracity of the claim.

Finally, if students who sign up for ROTC “are also unlikely to appreciate the gravity of their circumstances,” that is on them.  There is no draft, and with the digital age and prevalence of instant information, people should join the military with eyes wide open. I would also argue that joining the military while in college, most of these students do, in fact, have a heightened sense of “self-discovery.”   

I applaud Ms. Lazzarino’s desire to call for the moral integrity of the university, and I wish every student in every university would do the same. By shutting down ROTC, however, you start eliminating personal choice and start squashing free expression, not to mention real options for paying for college. I believe Ms. Lazzarino’s misguided and factually inaccurate opinion piece would probably be better served if she attempted to offer an argument with some foundational truths instead of making it look like a hack job.

Charles Mandelin is a current resident of Durham and was in the Navy from 1996-2011. This letter is a response to Elisa Lazzarino’s column that ran on Sept. 6.