ND alumni sponsor service initiatives

Col. William Brooks s ta r ted for F ra n k L e a h y ’s f irs t fo o t­ ball t e a m as a f r e s h m a n in 1941, then pioneered the U.S. A rm y’s A irb o rn e unit as one of its f irs t m em bers in 1942. T h e Navy k e p t N o tre D am e financially afloat in the 1940s, and over 12,000 naval officers departed the peaceful shadow of th e G olden Dome for th e ba t t le f ie ld s of World W ar II. Father William Corby fam ous­ ly g r a n te d a b so lu t io n to th e I r i s h B r ig a d e b e f o r e t h e y m a r c h e d in th e B a t t l e o f G e t ty s b u r g . ROTC s c h o l a r ­ ships at Notre Dame o u tn u m ­ ber those of any o ther volun­ t a r y ROTC p r o g r a m in th e nation. Clearly, Notre D am e h as a s t r o n g m i l i t a ry h is to ry — a r ich, re sp e c te d h e r i ta g e th a t t o d a y ’s V e te r a n s Day c e r e ­ m o n ie s will s t r iv e to h o n o r and reflect. R e t i r e d Lt. Col. a n d A s s o c ia te G r a d u a t e S c h o o l Vice President Anthony Hyder su m m e d up the r e la t io n s h ip betw een Notre Dame and the military. “W hat b e t te r p lace to com-