Surviving the Class Of 77 Honor Scandal And Completing A Career As A Reserve Colonel In Afghanistan

COL(R) Len Shartzer grew up in a military family. His father started his career as a transportation officer, but transitioned into aviation before that became a formal branch. A serious accident left his father a paraplegic and Len the man of the house. A sense of responsibility led Len to the Military Academy, entering with the Class of 1977. The Honor Scandal was the most memorable experience of his Cadet career. He recalls classmates being pulled from breakfast formation at the beginning of the honor investigation. Even though his Cow year ended normally, he felt the collective stress of the Class. In August, he was recalled from Summer Leave, ostensibly as a witness, but when he reported to Thayer Hall, he learned that he was now part of the wider investigation. In addition to the electrical engineering scandal, he was questioned about an alleged prostitution ring, and about a gang stealing car audio systems. He was also asked about toleration. He was cleared, and served both as a Company Commander and a Battalion Commander before graduating. Len went on to have a full career in the military, and as a 49-year-old Army Reserve Colonel, he deployed to Afghanistan as the Director of Program Integration in the Office of Military Cooperation, Afghanistan, temporarily leaving his civilian job to deploy. At the end of the interview, he discusses what his West Point experiences and his service in the Army mean to him.