The Ninth Annual Hugh J. Clausen Lecture on Leadership

• Author: Major General (ret.) William K. Suter2
• Pages: 05

2003] NINTH HUGH J. CLAUSEN LEADERSHIP LECTURE 141

THE NINTH ANNUAL HUGH J. CLAUSEN LECTURE ON LEADERSHIP1

MAJOR GENERAL (RET.) WILLIAM K. SUTER2

Good morning. That was good enough! Thank you for the introduction, it was too much, Cal. But I enjoyed every minute of it and I know my wife did, too. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to return to the home of

1. This is an edited transcript of a lecture delivered by Major General (Retired) William K. Suter to the members of the staff and faculty, their distinguished guests, and officers attending the 51st Judge Advocate Officer Graduate Course at The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School, U.S. Army, Charlottesville, Virginia, on 11 April 2003. The Clausen Lecture is named in honor of Major General Hugh J. Clausen, who served as The Judge Advocate General, U.S. Army, from 1981 to 1985 and served over thirty years in the U.S. Army before retiring in 1985. His distinguished military career included assignments as the Executive Officer of The Judge Advocate General; Staff Judge Advocate, III Corps and Fort Hood; Commander, U.S. Army Legal Services Agency and Chief Judge, U.S. Army Court of Military Review; The Assistant Judge Advocate General; and finally, The Judge Advocate General. On his retirement from active duty, General Clausen served for a number of years as the Vice President for Administration and Secretary to the Board of Visitors at Clemson University.

2. Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, General Suter grew up in Millersburg, Kentucky, where he attended Millersburg Military Institute for twelve years. He received his B.A. degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, in 1959. He attended Trinity on a basketball scholarship. He received his law degree from Tulane Law School in 1962. He attended Tulane on an academic scholarship. He was on the Tulane Law Review Board of Editors and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

   General Suter was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at Trinity. He entered active duty in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps following graduation from law school. His first assignment after completing the Armor Officer Orientation Course and the JAG School Basic Course was at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

   He thereafter served in numerous assignments, including Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Support Thailand; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Vietnam; Staff Judge Advocate, 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell; Chief, Personnel, Plans, and Training Office, Office of The Judge Advocate General; Commandant, The Judge Advocate General's School; Chief Judge, U.S. Army Court of Military Review; and the Assistant Judge Advocate General.

   He is a graduate of the Judge Advocate General's Graduate Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. His military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star, and Parachutist Badge.

   He was appointed the nineteenth Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States on 1 February 1991, the same day he retired from the Army. He is a frequent lecturer at law schools and bar associations. He is married to Jeanie Suter, a teacher. They have two sons and four grandchildren.

   the Army JAG Corps; and it really is wonderful, and you have to get to be my age before you realize how wonderful it is to see so many friends from years gone by. I appreciate the special efforts of the Judge Advocate General, the Assistant Judge Advocate General, and all the others, even driving as far away as Louisville, Kentucky, to come here. You honor me by your presence. All of you do. And I see some family members of graduates here, too; I thank all of you for attending. Graduates, you really didn't have a choice but I do thank you for being here, too.

   This school really is the crown jewel of the military legal community. I was fortunate enough to spend eight years here including my time as a faculty member, the Commandant, and in the classroom. I enjoyed it here immensely. Now the Commandant is still in charge in here. It says, "The Judge Advocate General's School" with an apostrophe. It belongs to you, Tom, but the Commandant is in charge and he told me I'm supposed to speak for a while, say something important if I can, and then we'll stop and we'll go into questions, if you have any. And I hope you do have some, in fact, start thinking of some questions right now because I won't let you go until you ask some.

   It's really fitting that this chair is named for Major General (MG) Hugh Clausen. Hugh was a superb officer, lawyer, and leader. I had the pleasure of serving as his subordinate on several occasions and I learned a great deal from him. His hallmarks are honesty and integrity, and he is a gifted leader. Good leaders take care of their troops. A noncommissioned officer told me when I was a lieutenant that troops only need three things. It's the three "M's"-Meals, Mail, and Money. I soon learned that they need much more than that. All troops, regardless of their age and grade and experience, need leadership.

   I recall an example of Hugh Clausen's leadership when I was Commandant of the JAG School. He was The Judge Advocate General. A former faculty member was on a short tour in Korea. While he was gone, his wife became gravely ill and the officer had to come home on emergency leave. General Clausen was visiting the school that day and he asked to meet alone with this officer in my office. So we made the arrangements. The officer went in with General Clausen and after a while, the officer came out alone and he was crying softly. I walked with him to a private location and I said, "Are you okay?" I didn't know what had happened to him. He said General Clausen told me the Corps will take care of my family; he said I could go anywhere I want at any time; he asled what we can do for you and your family, and it will be done. He was greatly

   moved, and he was good to his word. The officer was reassigned to this school, and the JAG family took care of this officer and his family until she passed away. Now that was a sad period for all of us, but I saw the JAG family at its best. That's when we can be our best, and I've got to tell you, that you and Betty Clausen set the example. And you still do.

   Leadership is a wonderful subject. It's discussed and debated, volumes are written about it, but no one can define it with clarity. It's a bit like Justice Potter Stewart's inability to define a coherent test for obscenity. He said simply, "I know it when I see it." But leadership is a lot like that. My first encounter with leadership, of course, was with my parents. They were natural leaders. I attended a military school in Kentucky for twelve years. And I witnessed leadership there, too. Later at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, I had wonderful leaders. My basketball coach was fantastic. I really didn't have much talent despite what Cal just said. But he gave me a scholarship and I appreciated it. What is important is that he demanded that his players study and make good grades. He taught us to be upright and gracious as winners and as losers. I will boast just a little bit here and let you know - in case you haven't heard - that in my senior year, little Trinity beat the mighty University of Texas Longhorns in basketball. I don't think that will ever happen again.

   My history professor, who was also my academic advisor, led me through many challenges and he was the sole reason I was able to get a...