Controlling the Things I Could Control: Striving For Continual Improvement at West Point

This interview with COL (R) Herman Bulls, USMA Class of 1978, reveals a man dedicated to West Point and the ideals of Duty, Honor, Country in every aspect of his life. From his time as a cadet, when he was involved in a number of different activities, to his service as an Admissions Outreach Officer as a junior officer, COL Bulls has always maintained a connection to West Point. Later in his career, he attended graduate school and taught in the Department of Social Sciences while his wife worked in the Admissions Department at West Point. After transitioning from active duty to the US Army Reserve, he continually returned to West Point for annual teaching tours. Two of his sons graduated from West Point (in 2005 and 2011) and one of them currently works in the Admissions Department. Throughout his life, COL Bulls has remained very involved with AOG governance and efforts related to improving the quality of the margin of excellence programs and the diversity programs at West Point. In this interview, he talks about why West Point means so much to him and his family and how he looked for, and often found, the silver lining in every situation by focusing on controlling those things he could control.