CWU To Lose Faculty, Students To Military Service

November 7, 2003

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Students and faculty members from Central Washington University are among about 3,400 men and women of the Washington National Guard 81st Armored Brigade that are now expected to be deployed to Iraq.

The U.S. Defense Department recently announced that, beginning in March, the 81st would replace the 53rd Enhanced Special Brigade from the Florida National Guard around Baghdad.

Among the members of the Washington unit is Dr. Timothy P. Dittmer, CWU economics professor. He'll begin training next week for an estimated year-long deployment.

Dittmer, 38, learned last week that his unit had received a Department of Army mobilization order, placing it on federal active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Other members of the CWU economics faculty will cover Dittmer's sophomore- and junior-level courses through the conclusion of fall quarter, according to Dr. Roy Savoian, CWU College of Business dean.

"There are a variety of feelings that I, the faculty and university community have at a time like this," Savoian says. "Certainly, our thoughts are with Tim, his wife, Susie, and their two small children."

Dittmer has been a member of the CWU faculty since 1999.

CWU freshman Brett C. Wachsmith, a 2002 graduate of Ellensburg High School, is also a member of the 81st as part of an infantry battalion stationed in Wenatchee. He had been planning on pursuing a business degree at Central, possibly followed by law school - plans which have now been put on hold.

"We haven't been told much information yet, other than we need to report on Nov. 15," Wachsmith says. "As for the missions we're going to be doing, I don't know that yet."

Wachsmith, 20, says his unit will train in Wenatchee for a week, followed by three months at Fort Lewis in Tacoma. Troop preparations will conclude with four weeks of desert training in California before the eventual deployment.

At least a half dozen other local students, many from Central, are also part of this latest military personnel call-up, according to Wachsmith, which, he adds, was no surprise to him based on the number of alerts that had been issued to his unit.