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eature
Major Hicks in last year at Hazleton Campus
By Terry McCarthy
For the past three
years, a southern
gentleman has been with
us at Hazleton. Major
Ralph Hicks has been an
instructor of Army
ROTC for the past three
years, and it is with
much regret that we
must bid him farewell.
Maj. Hicks is being
transferred by the Army
to Alabama where he
will be involved in avia
tion research and
development and doing
test flights on new Army
aircraft.
Maj. Hick's career
has been one filled with
travel and adventure.
When the Major's
number came up in the
draft in 1965, he decided
he would have some con
trol over his destiny. He
had a desire to learn how
to fly, so he enrolled in
the Army flight school. It
is there that he became a
helicopter pilot. Upon
graduation from flight
school, Maj. Hicks serv
ed two tours in Vietnam.
Since Vietnam, Maj.
Hicks has been stationed
in Texas, Florida, West
Germany and Alabama.
With his arrival to
Hazleton, Major Hicks
was presented with his
first teaching job. "Most
of my career has been in
aviation except for my
tour in Germany and
here," said Hicks. Maj.
Hicks seems to hold both
the students and
teachers at Highacres in
high regard. "I have en
joyed my tour here both
personally and profes
sionally. I have most en
joyed working with the
students and the student
activity that ROTC of
fers. I have also enjoyed
meeting and working
with the faculty and
staff. This has been an
excellent campus due to
the environment here. It
has made my job easier
and I think it has con
tributed to the success of
ROTC at Penn State."
The Hicks family cur
rently resides in Con
yngham. The Maj. met
his wife, Arline, while
she was attending the
University of Tennessee
and they have had two
children, Gregg, who is
11, and Jeff, who is 9.
If Ralph Hicks had his
life to live over again, he
is certain that he would
join the Army. Stated,
Hicks, "I have enjoyed
my work and the variety
of jobs I have done. I
don't think you can find
that in many jobs. "The
job that Maj. Ralph
Hicks has mown ' love
BEIM
N4 li t
Major Ralph Hicks (center) discusses drill procedures with S.F.C. Nemith (left) and Yvonne Cormier
(right). Hicks is in his last year of running the ROTC program at the Hazleton Campus.
will take him to yet
another state with a
totally nSw set of respon
sibilities. k Highacres
I would like to wish him
the best of luck in the
land of Bear Bryant and
the Crimson Tide. We
will certainly miss him
here.
Major Hicks (right) has trained students like John
Lewis (left) and other members of the ROTC pro
gram pictured in the background.
MAJ. RALPH HICKS
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