In Conversation With Charlie Zimmer

Pictured Charlie Zimmer second from the left with his ROTC classmates.

Q1: Why did you decide to join ROTC? Have you always wanted to pursue a career in the military?

"I come from a background of family in the military. My second uncle was a fighter pilot in WWII and my grandpa was an army captain in Vietnam. I’ve always wanted to fly and grew up around a culture of flying. The Navy seemed like the best place to do it. I thought it was the airforce for the longest time, but I settled into also trying to see the world. The combination of that and the draw to serving your country really attracted me."

Q2: As someone in ROTC at USC, Do you feel that people view you differently and if so, how do you wish ROTC was viewed?

“I think that it's viewed in a very positive light. It's just an aspect that you are one of the students and you do have that full college experience. Also, your friends are on equal level with you and stuff like that. But there is also, another level of respect that people give you and there is an expectation that you will go a little bit higher. So, out of everyone in a room, you’re always expected to take care of people, make sure everyone gets home safe, and make sure people aren't making bad decisions. And in general just to guide people and push people when they’re struggling and to be a source of wisdom, and just someone people can talk to. We just have slightly a higher standard, with getting up early and setting an example, and trying to do the right thing so people can follow that in a really small way.”

Q3: What do you think the biggest issues for veterans is today?

“I think the biggest issue for veterans today is definitely mental health. I think, especially now, with what happened in a Thousand Oaks two days ago, it is now more than ever important to take care of our veterans once they get back from war because they kind of fall of the chart. They kind of fall of the map and a lot of people don’t have families to go back to. There was an interesting TED talk that kind of opened my eyes to the problem too that there is no brotherhood and camaraderie like being deployed with people and to have to rely on people to save your life every single day is just a level of commitment, a level of brotherhood or sisterhood that you just can’t get anywhere in the civilian world. So people have a hard time transitioning, especially if they did have a traumatic experience, back to the civilian world where they go from the most love and support they have had in their entire life to none and there is not really a good support network. I mean the VA does some stuff but I mean it’s just not enough so people are kind of left to their devices so you come back and people just kind of fall off. They can’t get jobs, they can’t adjust, and that’s really hard for a lot of people cause there’s no real dialogue right now about what happens when you get back because that’s supposed to be your fun time, your time to enjoy life, but a lot of people don’t see it that way. I think we need to start a dialogue about how we address that.”

Q4: How do you recommend that civilians learn more about being in the military, being a veteran, or being in a military family?

“I think just talking to people around you and getting lunch and having a deep conversation. Asking the hard questions about what it’s like and what life is like and the challenges that military members face that are important to realize. Because a lot of the hardest things about deployment and about being in the military, you don’t really think about. It’s obviously the combat and being in dangerous situations, but it’s [also] eight months away from your family, or especially for submarine crews, it’s just that you have no contact with the outside world for a while, and you don’t know what’s going on… anything like that. And so it’s this level of separation that does add to the brotherhood and sisterhood and that camaraderie you have, because it’s just you guys against the world, really. And then there are some good documentaries… not the cheesy war movies, which are fun, but real documentaries about what it’s like, and there are some good Ted talks and good academic sources to learn more. But generally, just talking to people in your community is the best way, and asking any questions that you might have."