Dedicated To Service: Leading Transformation As An Army Engineer, A DOD Civilian, And Curator Of The West Point Jewish Chapel

Robert Wolff was born in 1943 and grew up in Washington, D.C., with an older and younger brother until the age of thirteen when the family moved to Georgetown. His father had left Germany in 1936 and opened a clothing store in D.C. Robert’s great grandfather founded a synagogue in D.C., but had returned to Germany. His mother’s heritage was Russian, and she lived in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she was the 1st Violinist in the Shreveport Orchestra and a teacher. During World War II, his father served in France as an Army interpreter. As a boy, Robert enjoyed studying and playing the clarinet, and in high school he was on the track and field team. Although he initially considered the Naval Academy, he was offered a principal nomination for West Point and accepted it. Reporting on R-Day, some of his most vivid memories are receiving his uniforms and getting his hair cut. He also recalls the shock of that day. He did well in Beast Barracks, but felt that his Buckner summer was a challenge, and a few years later, Ranger School was the “hardest thing [he] ever did.” During his Cow Year, he spent time in Bamberg, Germany, with an engineer unit, which helped him decide to pick that branch. Academically, he was frequently in the first section and he did well in engineering and math. He met his wife, Phyliss, in 1964 at an Army – Navy gymnastics meet at Annapolis on a blind date. He remembers taking Phyliss to Army football games, to the Firstie Club, or for pleasant strolls along Flirtation Walk. Frequently they double dated with classmate Tad Ono and his future wife, Hiro. Robert started out in company M-1 (the runts) but later scrambled to company L-1, which by that time was integrated by height. (In the “Old Corps,” companies were organized by height, with A-1 and M-2 being the tallest companies, “the flankers,” and M-1 and A-2 being the shortest, “the runts.” With companies organized by height, it would create the illusion of the Corps being the same height on parade.) As a Cadet, he kept busy singing with the Jewish Chapel Choir, and he enjoyed trips away from the Academy to sing at various synagogues. This was a time before the construction of the Jewish Chapel, and services were held either in the Old Cadet Chapel or in a physics lab. Rabbi Soltes, who served as the Jewish Chaplain at West Point from 1963 to 1983, traveled from New York City to worship with the Cadets. In the early 60s, there were about 40 Jewish Cadets at West Point, 18 in the Class of ’65 alone, including classmate Gary Kadetz, the first member of the class to die in Vietnam. In addition to remaining active in his faith, Robert was also on the gymnastics team. He remembers that Coach Malone was very strict, and the gymnasts each focused on one event because “we were all individuals.” Robert’s event was the rings. After commissioning as an Engineer, Robert completed Airborne and Ranger School, and classmate Ken Yoshitani was his Ranger Buddy. His first assignment was with the 3rd Engineer Battalion in Munich, Germany, and he served for a time as an Atomic Demolition Munitions Platoon Leader. After his time in Germany, he deployed to Vietnam, where he initially served as an S4 before taking command of a Company in the 93rd Engineer Construction Battalion. His company built airfield taxi-ways, hangars, bridges, a reception center, and even a kennel for military working dogs. He also completed some civic action projects. Twice, he was able to take R&R to Hawaii to see Phyliss. After returning from Vietnam in 1969, he completed the Engineer Advanced Course before earning a Master’s Degree and a PhD in Civil Engineering in 1972 at Stanford University. He enjoyed this period in his life, getting to interact with a lot of classmates even though he was overloaded writing a thesis and dissertation. In 1971, he worked in the Office of the Chief of Engineers, where he served as the executive to the Chairman of Rivers and Harbors. It was in this assignment that his love of civil engineering blossomed, and he learned a lot about economics and feasibility reports. In 1973, classmate Ralph Locurcio replaced Wolff in that position. In 1973, he was again assigned to the Far East on the Military Equipment Delivery Team – Cambodia (MEDT C) in Phnom Penh. His role was to support the Khmer Army in their fight against the communist Khmer Rouge supported by North Vietnamese. He remembers that assignment as an “accounting nightmare.” Later, during that deployment, he served as Aide to BG Cleland. He worked at the Embassy and felt safe, even playing tennis at the Cercle Sportif. He took R&R from Cambodia and recalls that after two weeks at home, it was tough to leave his two children. After returning to the United States, Robert left the Army in 1974, but transitioned to the Army Reserves. He eventually retired as a Lieutenant Colonel, spending much of his reserve time recruiting for West Point. He then began a long career working for the government as a Civil Engineer. From 1974 to 1988, he returned to the Office of the Chief of Engineers, where he spent time deauthorizing old projects that were never going to be built. This was during a period when President Carter wanted to eliminate the Corps of Engineers, and the organization had to fight to remain relevant. In 1988, he became the Executive Director of the U.S. Army Engineer Housing Support Center at Ft. Belvoir, later serving as the Director of Facilities Engineering until 1991. From 1991 to 1994, he served as the Chief of the U.S. Engineer District in Baltimore, where he supervised numerous major projects, including a Defense Logistics Agency site and the Aberdeen Welding Center. Next, he transitioned to the Air Force as the Deputy Civil Engineer for the Air Force at the Pentagon from 1994 to 1997, and then served as the Director of Plans and Integration from 1997 to 1998, where he worked to integrate transportation, maintenance, and supply capabilities. In 1998, he retired from Civil Service and began work as a consultant, first for CH2M Hill, where he supervised a $20 million dollar project in Boise, Idaho, and next for his own consulting firm. In 2002, he took a position as the Executive Director of the Society of American Military Engineers, increasing their budget and starting educational and transition sessions. In 2018, he became the Executive Director for the Quality of Life Plus organization, developing programs for injured veterans to meet with high school seniors. From 2008 to 2023, he served as the Vice President for Facilities and Curator for the West Point Jewish Chapel Fund. The West Point Jewish Chapel is the only Jewish Chapel built on a military installation with private funds. Part of his focus as Curator was to develop a museum recognizing the accomplishments of Jewish Service Members, including the 18 Jewish Medal of Honor Recipients, and creating a “Wall of Honor” recognizing Jewish KIA, valor award recipients, and General Officers. His efforts have resulted in a list of 1100 Jewish Graduates of West Point. Reflecting on his service to the nation, Robert remarks, “I’m dedicated to service.” He describes the closeness of his class and the importance of Duty, Honor, Country, and integrity to him, stating that West Point gave him gymnastics, a great education, and a career.