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The real lessons we won’t find in textbooks
In 2003, I taught a database design class at a military base in the Midwest. The students were enlisted soldiers who were very respectful and accommodating. It was a rare class where we did not need name tents to identify ourselves. Their last names were displayed on their camouflage uniforms. I noticed they addressed each other by last name, so I respectfully did the same.
During a morning break, I asked for directions to the restroom. Wandering down the long corridors, I heard the sound of many people and a flurry of activity. Approaching a large room normally used as a dining area, I saw at least a hundred soldiers waiting in multiple lines. In front of those lines were other soldiers seated at tables with papers and folders. Scores of duffel bags and equipment snaked around the perimeter of the room.
Returning to the classroom, I curiously asked about the activity down the hall. One of the students replied, “Those soldiers are being processed. They’re headed for Iraq.” At that time, the Iraq War was in full swing.
I paused a few seconds, allowing my mind to absorb it. Suddenly, relational database theory did not seem very important. Those soldiers I just saw were on their way to an unfamiliar part of the world on behalf of our country.
