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Home » About Norwich » SGS Today »
Lt. Col. John Lawlor (second from left) and his team meet with Iraqi engineers to plan the rebuilding of schools in Samarra, Iraq [photo courtesy of John Lawlor].
Citizen, soldier, student
by Gary E. Frank, correspondent
© May 15, 2009 Norwich University Office of Communications
Most students in Norwich University's online School of Graduate Studies have to juggle at least two responsibilities — usually a job and school work — while pursuing a degree. John Lawlor juggles three.
Lawlor, who is earning a master's degree in public administration, is director of public works for the city of Waterbury, Conn., and a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.
"I have to find a way through scheduling to squeeze more than 24 hours out of a day," he laughed. "The best way to approach it is to anticipate what the short-term goals are and what the goals further out are."
Some of those distant goals involve command of an Army civil affairs unit in places like Bosnia or Iraq. Lawlor, currently commander of the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), was deployed to north central Iraq for 12 months in 2004.
"The responsibilities of command are numerous, just like my civilian job," he said. "I deal with a lot of personnel issues, I do a lot of recruiting, a lot of hiring. It requires daily attention. It's not something I can do just once a month."
In his civilian job, however, Lawlor doesn't find himself being shot at, as happened several times in Iraq.
During deployment, Lawlor was a major in the 415th Civil Affairs Battalion, serving as public works team chief. His unit's mission was to help Iraqis rebuild their war-ravaged country.
"I expected that the essential services would be functional, except possibly for the damage that was inflicted as part of the recent fighting, or maybe some residual effects from the first Gulf War," said Lawlor. "I was wrong."
Years of dictatorial rule, war and economic sanctions had made a shambles of the Iraqi infrastructure. Lawlor and his team helped rebuild power plants, wastewater treatment plants and schools, while advising his commanders on how to find and use local resources.
Lawlor also had to prepare his department in Waterbury to function without him. Fortunately, he had several months' notice before deployment.
"As director, my responsibilities are more operational and strategic in nature, so I'm always thinking further on," said Lawlor. "So, what I'm trying to do is set up my public works department to be able to handle the next 12 months, making sure all the procurements were in place, all contracts were in place, and make sure my deputies were prepared to execute for the next 12 months."
Changes he had planned for public works had to be put on hold. But as he prepared for duty at Fort Bragg, N.C., Lawlor managed to meet both his responsibilities.
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“[Lawlor] represents the citizen soldier, which is what Norwich University was created to foster.”
— MPA Program Director Donal Hartman |
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"I was able to effectively balance both my civic and military duties for the 30 days before my deployment," he said. "But once I got on that plane to Iraq I needed to shift focus and give 100 percent."
He wasn't completely out of contact with Waterbury. He had occasional Internet access, which allowed him to check the local newspaper and connect with his department by email.
"Everyone always wanted to give positive feedback and let me know that things were going great," said Lawlor. "But not so great that they didn't need me back."
Last year Lawlor, a member of the American Public Works Association (APWA), learned the organization was collaborating with Norwich University to develop a public works concentration for its Master of Public Administration (MPA) curriculum. Lawlor was familiar with Norwich because he had served with several officers who were alumni.
"The more I looked at it, the more I felt it was an absolutely perfect fit for me," said Lawlor, who has worked for Waterbury's public works department for 20 years and served as director for the last seven years.
Christina Davis, a continuing education project manager for the APWA, said the online aspect of the Norwich MPA program makes it accessible to the association's 30,000 members in the U.S. and Canada.
"We anticipate retirements and changes in leadership in public works," she said. "The APWA wants a role in preparing public works directors and managers who have the skills, competency and the credibility to take on those positions."
Donal Hartman, director of the MPA program, believes it is growing stronger.
"There's been an upward trend in the number of APWA students and their applications are just outstanding," he said.
Hartman called Lawlor the manifestation of what Alden B. Partridge had in mind when he founded Norwich University in 1819.
"He represents the citizen soldier, which is what Norwich University was created to foster," said Hartman. "[Alden Partridge] believed in the citizen soldier, because these were the people who were leaders in their community. They were the ones who knew how to build bridges and roads; how to run town meetings, and were also in charge of the militia. They knew how to get things done."
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