O C By LOU FINTOR A military career spanning 27 years may seem a bit ironic for the son of an Episcopal clergyman, but as director of the University's Air Force Officer Education Program, Col. Robert Shellenberger says he's answered the "calling" of a different kind. Nestled between the Dental School and Natural History Museum, it's easy to overlook aging North Hall - the OTC building where Shellenberger as worked for almost a year-and-a- half. NUMEROUS MILITARY awards and citations line the walls surrounding his neat desk where a small United States flag is prominently positioned. At 46, Shellenberger leans back in his chair to peer out the bay window at campus streets which little more than a decade ago were filled with thousands of angry students protesting the hilosophy he represents. It is those urbulent days that Shellenberger remembers most vividly. "I remember the first time I came to PROFILE orth Hall in 1966 as an Air Force raduate student," Shellenberger says. "One of the first things they told us was not to wear your uniform on campus. In those days, it didn't pay to wear the uniform on campus and provoke anything. People felt that anyone in uniform was just chomping at the bit, ready to go to war." NOWADAYS, HE LOOKS at campus protests of ROTC activities with disdain. "I am very disturbed when ~ omene who should know better says Fwe are on campus teaching maiming and killing," Shellenberger says. "What we are doing is teaching young folks who want to be officers how to be professionals." Since the Vietnam era, anti-ROTC sentiment on campus has decreased considerably, and Shellenberger is now optimistic for the program's future as. cadet applications continue on the rise. There has been only two anti-ROTC *demonstrations in front of his office oduring the past two years - both staged by the Latin American Solidarity Committee protesting U.S. involvement in Central America. in contrast, during the early 1970s, there were several attempts to burn and bomb the building. Despite this violent resentment, the protests never- theless are defensible as "one of the privileges of living in a free society," Shellenberger says. "TIME IS certainly a factor - Viet- nam is behind us by 10 years." Shellenberger attributes what head The Michigan Daily - Sunday, September 11, 1983- Page 5 ights anti-army sentiment "I can remember the air raid drills and the blackouts during evenings at home," Shellenberger says. "I remem- ber clearly the day the war ended. We could hear fire sirens and church bells ringing. More importantly, I remember the things we were fighting against." His boyhood experiences and patriotism during the war combined with almost no money to pay for a college education provided the impetus for Shellenberger to devote a lifetime to military service. "I still get chills up and down my spine when I see the flag," he says. GRADUATING from West Point in 1958, Shellenberger immediately entered duty training as a student pilot at bases in Texas, Mississippi, Georgia, Nevada, California, and Kansas. "Life at West Point was very regimented. You're in a military at- mosphere 24 hours a day," he says. "West Point has tough standards of discipline. It was a tough physical grind and a tough mental grind. "We got up at 10 minutes to six every morning except Sunday and fell out for reveille. It was mandatory at that time to attend chapel and then we would eat in a dining hall where they could feed THE DAILY CLASSIFIEDS ARE A GREAT WAY TO GET FAST RESULTS CALL 764-0557 2400 of us in 30 minutes," he added with a chuckle. DURING THE Vietnam war, Shellenberger flew C-130 troop tran- sports to Southeast Asia. His cargo at various times included support sup- plies, ammunition, troops, prisoners, and occasionally the bodies of dead soldiers. "The old cliche of 'war is hell' was true and it's still true. It wasn't a nice feeling, but the job had to be done," he said. Thirteen years later and thousan- ds of miles from Vietnam, Shellen- berger now draws from a lifetime of experience to prepare 125 University ROTC cadets with skills he hopes they will never have to use. As program director, Shellenberger designs and develops a curriculum that includes Air Force organization, strategic air command, an overview of Soviet military organization, and ethics relative to military duty. "I enjoy teaching basically because I very much enjoy working with young people," he says. "I know I'll never make a big splash in the history books, but maybe, just maybe, a piece of me will go with them." This story was reprinted from the summer edition of the Daily. Starting today, Profile will be a regular feature of Sunday's Daily. It's Here Now gelato Italaa m Ctaam The Most Incredible Ice Cream in Town Across from the Movies BRIARWOOD MALL BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL! I 7- I I Tw c) KJI Regular Price: 2.49 PAPER MATE. _ Daily Photo by DEBORAH LEWIS Aw Force ROTC Program Director Robert Shellenberger has seen both bad and good times for the military on campus. remains of anti-ROTC sentiment to a lack of understanding by most students. The University unit, he says, is in- volved in several community service organizations and helps plan events such as local observance of Memorial Day. There was a time when the military won the respect and admiration of an American public who, feeling drained but victorious following a depression and tremendous personal sacrifices for the war effort, was grateful that freedom had been guaranteed. BORN IN New York City, Shellen- berger remembers the strong sense of patriotism and love of freedom his parents helped instill in him. His father had served as a Civil Defense chaplain during World War II. SALE PRICE. F LMICHIGAN BOOK STORE 322 South State Street * DURABLE * DEPENDABLE *SMOOTH WRITING Blue or Black ink m 1m m -4 3 m K 3 ym -4 m' m m am -V -V 1' -4 m mV m i '1 iY # .,ifY=i Y' Y YIIY i1 - : j 10 BALL PENS MEDIUM POINT CAP COLOR IS INK COLOR Pope draws huge crowd in Vienna VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Pope John Paul II, speaking from the square where Adolph Hitler harangued a huge crowd 45 years ago, issued an appeal yesterday for human rights, peace and tolerance to Austria "and its neighbors to the north, east, south and west." The pope, clad in white and gold vestments, spoke from a podium in front of the former imperial palace shortly after arriving for a four-day visit to this neutral country, a traditional refuge for thousands fleeing the Soviet bloc. In a suburb, about 500 people protesting the papal visit - the first in' 201 years - attended an "alternative" rally where they derided the pope as "John Paul Superstar." The 63-year-old pontiff appeared slightly flushed under a burning sun as he recalled dark days in European history and alluded to a troubled present. It was the largest assembly in Heldenplatz, or Heroes Square, since Hitler appeared on a balcony of the former palace to declare Austria a part of the Third Reich. About 400,000 people crowded into the square and neighboring streets af- ter Hitler occupied Austria in 1938. Nurses in light blue uniforms wan- dered among the crowds with large jugs' of water, or fashioned paper hats to protect the elderly people in the audience from the brilliant sun. w I I BACK TO SCHOOL SAVINGS! HI-LITERS Fm~E NT Regular Price: 75° SALE PRICE: