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This week in the studio a man with almost 4 decades of military service to this country. His dream started all the way back in the summer before his freshman year of high school when he finished reading a military based book about every three days. By doing this his mind was set on a life a service which began in 1983 when he was assigned to the 1st Battallion 75th Rangers as brand new private. He made colossal strides in his career by not only becoming a Ranger but also a JumpMaster by the rank of Specialist. In 1987 as a then Staff Sergeant he transitioned to the Nebraska National Guard so that he could attend college. After receiving his bachelors degree he was back on active duty as a commissioned officer. Now this is where his career really takes off. He has held commands in the 101st, 75th Ranger Regiment, 508th Infantry,173rd Airborne where he was in commander of a battalion that was awarded a Presidential Unit citation, Valorous Unit Award, over 400 individual valor awards that included 3 living Medal of Honor recipients. He has spent over six years of his life and career in combat. He ended his illustrious career as the Director of Military Instruction at the United States Military Academy at WestPoint and he is here to tell how his warriors life has affected him, his immediate family, and his much larger adopted family (the soldiers under his command), and what he is doing with that second chapter of his life. I am honored to introduce you to William “Bill” Ostlund Colonel US Army Retired.
INTRO and OUTRO music written,performed, and provided by the band Rattle Root. Check them out below.
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William B. Ostlund
Enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1983, Colonel(r) Bill Ostlund served with the 1st Battalion, 75th Rangers and was stationed at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia through 1987. As a Staff Sergeant he transitioned to the Nebraska National Guard’s Long Range Surveillance Detachment and simultaneously enrolled at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and joined their ROTC program.
Bill was commissioned as a Distinguished Military Graduate in the Infantry and re-entered the active Army in 1990. He served as a Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer in 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment – 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). This tour included service in OPERATION DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. He was then assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment where he again served as a Platoon Leader and a Company Executive Officer. Bill commanded B Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (mechanized) in the Republic of Korea and then attended graduate school at The Fletcher School, Tufts University - completing his PhD coursework - prior to being assigned as an Assistant Professor in the United States Military Academy’s Department of Social Sciences where he taught American Politics and International Security Studies. Bill was subsequently stationed in Vicenza, Italy where he served as the Southern European Task Force’s Chief of Operations, Operations Officer – 1st Battalion (Airborne), 508th Infantry, and Operations Officer then Deputy Commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade; this assignment included service in the BALKANS and the 173rd’… Read More
