Maurice "Ed" Hudson:  

I joined the Lansdowne High School Class of 1968 in Sep 1967, for my senior year, after transferring from Wicomico High School, in Salisbury, MD, and graduated in June 1968. My activities included: athletics (wrestling and gymnastics); stage manager for the senior class play; as the physics laboratory assistant for Mr. William Shortall; and as an escort for the fashion show; and learned to play drums due to the inspiration and encouragement of my best friend, Larry Schluderberg. I was very much involved with the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary - Civil Air Patrol (CAP), where I became a Cadet Lieutenant Colonel, and the senior cadet within the entire state of Maryland, as Chairman of the Cadet Advisory Council; earned a flight training scholarship (with flying lessons in a Cessna 172 and a Link flight training simulator); and participated in the International Air Cadet Exchange in Costa Rica. It is noteworthy that I achieved my rank (1 year 10 months) and position (2 years 2 months) faster than any cadet in the history of Maryland CAP. I was also the Cadet Commander of the Glen Burnie Composite Squadron, Glen Burnie, MD. Following graduation from high school, beginning in Sep 1968, I attended Catonsville Community College, Catonsville, MD, as an engineering student for 1 1/2 years. I then worked for 6 months at the Olson Wire Products Company, in Arbutus, MD, as a spot-weld machine operator. During my senior year in high school and in college, I worked as a bus boy at Leon's Triple-L Restaurant, and as a cashier and stock clerk at the Hollywood Pharmacy, both in Arbutus, MD. In May of 1970, I enlisted in the U.S. Army, at Ft. Holabird, MD, and began a distinguished and honorable 34-year military career, progressing from Private Recruit (PVT, E-1) to retirement as Lieutenant Colonel (LTC, O-5). I voluntarily enlisted in Jun 1970 (age 19), on the Delayed Enlistment Program. Entered the Regular Army and attended Basic Combat Training (BCT) (Aug - Oct 1970), at Ft. Dix, NJ, in E Company, 4th Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade, 1st US Army, as a Squad Leader (selected for early promotion to Private (PVT, E-2) and attendance at the Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC), followed by Advanced Individual Training (AIT) as an electronics technician for secure voice communications (autosevocom - secure voice scramblers), at the U.S. Army Signal Center and School (Oct 1970 - Aug 1971), Ft. Monmouth, NJ, with Military Occupational Specialty code 32F20. Again, I was selected for early promotion to Private First Class (PFC, E-3). Twice won the competition for Soldier of the Month for my Company, and represented my company at the battalion competition. I was selected to attend the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS) (Aug 1971 - 2 Jul 1972), at Ft. Belvoir, VA, where I held positions as Cadet Candidate Lieutenant as Battalion Operations Officer, and later as a Cadet Candidate Captain and permanent Cadet Candidate Company Commander (B Company), played soccer, and was on the Pistol Team. Again, I was selected for early promotion to the rank of Specialist (SPC, E-4). Finally, after four years of applications, earned an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy (USMA), at West Point, NY, in 1972. Entering the Academy on 2 Jul 1972, I was assigned to 2nd New Cadet Company for New Cadet Training, affectionately called "Beast Barracks" (the West Point equivalent of Basic Training, but much more intense), during the summer of 1972. During the four academic years, I was assigned to G Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment, Corps of Cadets. During the summer of 1973, I was assigned to 1st Company, as the Cadet First Sergeant, at Camp Buckner, for orientation training to all branches of the Army, including Armor and Armored Cavalry training at the U.S. Army Armor Center and School, Ft. Knox, KY. During the summer of 1974, I completed airborne (parachute) training at the U.S. Army Infantry Center and School, Ft. Benning , GA, earning my Basic Parachutist Wings; followed by participation in an international cadet exchange program and training at the British Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in Camberly, England (Cadet Corporal); and followed by Cadet Troop Leader Training as a Tank Platoon Leader (5 M-60 main battle tanks and 20 soldiers) with the 4th Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 8th Infantry Division, Lee Barracks, Mainz/Gonsinheim, West Germany. During my fourth summer training period in 1975, I served as a Cadet Sergeant, as a Squad Leader, with 1st New Cadet Company, training 10 New Cadets to military and Academy life. While at West Point, I participated in intramural athletics (gymnastics, swimming, boxing, wrestling, triathlon (running, swimming and pistol shooting), tennis, handball, Sigma Delta Psi athletic fraternity), was a member of the Army inter-collegiate Gymnastics Team (high bar and rings), was a member of the Equestrian Club, played drums in a 50's & 60's rock-n-roll dance band (Foster Grant and the Shades), completed basic and advanced SCUBA certifications; and was the Head Usher at the Cadet Protestant Chapel. On the military side, I was on the Commandant's List, and during my senior year held three successive leadership positions as a Cadet Lieutenant - Company Training Officer (Company G, 1st Regiment), Company Executive Officer (Company G, 1st Regiment) and Battalion Operations Officer (3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment). I graduated from West Point on 2 Jun 1976, having earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Applied Science and Engineering, with course emphasis in Civil Engineering and Liberal Arts, and was appointed as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army Infantry, with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant (O-1). Shortly after graduation I got married and later had two sons, David (33) (married to Emma) and Thomas (31). My Commissioned Officer career began at the U.S. Army Infantry Center and School, Ft. Benning, GA, for the Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC), followed by a short stint at Ranger School, which unfortunately, I was unable to complete due to medical reasons. Frequent military re-assignments sent me to the U.S. Army Field Artillery Center, Ft. Sill, OK (Battery Training Officer/Executive Office, Special Projects Officer, Training Committee Leader); the U.S. Army Armor School, Ft. Knox, KY (Maintenance Officer Course); the 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, Ft. Ord, CA, with short tours to the National Training Center (NTC) (in the Mojave Desert), Ft. Irwin, CA (Battalion Maintenance Officer, Light Infantry Rifle Company Executive Officer/Rifle Platoon Leader), Camp Rilea, OR (Infantry Tactics Training Chief), and Ft. Lewis, WA (Protocol Officer to Major General (MG) Philip R. Feir, Commanding General for Operation Brave Shield). Transferred to the U.S. Army Combat Developments Experimentation Command (USACDEC), Ft. Ord, CA, with short tours to Fort Hunter-Liggett, CA, the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Training Center, Ft. Bliss, TX (Project Team Operations Officer and ORSA Data Analyst). Had two training tours at the U.S. Army Logistics Management College (ALMC), Ft. Lee, VA, for the Operations Research/Systems Analyst (ORSA) Course and the Multi-Functional Logistics Course. I graduated from the Infantry Officer Advance Course (IOAC), at Ft. Benning, GA, and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (C&GSC) (Honor Graduate), Ft. Leavenworth, KN. I left active duty as a Captain (CPT, O-3) and immediately joined the U.S. Army Reserves, where I commanded two Basic Combat Training Companies, and served for 22 years, where my last two assignments, as a LTC, were in Colonel's (O-6) billets at the Divisional level. Throughout my military and Department of Defense (DoD) contractor careers I served in 24 states and 6 countries (USA, England, Germany, Israel, Japan and Canada (the Arctic)); served during the Cold War era, the Vietnam War era, the Global War on Terrorism and participated in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. My assignments ranged from Armor, Signal Corps, Infantry, Engineering (Field Test and Evaluation), Training, Transportation Corps, Field Test and Evaluation, ORSA, and Multi-Functional Logistics. Participated in three large-scale international, military operational exercises: two in Japan (Operation Yama Sakura), and one in Israel (Operation Juniper Cobra), and one joint forces operational exercise (Operation Brave Shield) at Ft. Lewis, WA. Units with which I have served include: 4th Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 8th Infantry Division (Tank Platoon Leader - Lee Barracks, Mainz, Germany); 4th Artillery Training Battalion, Field Artillery Training Brigade (Battery Executive Officer/Train...Expand for more