An Interruption That Lasted a Lifetime: My First Eighty Years

"I am proud to know Dr. E. Bruce Heilman as a Marine, educator and friend. He is a man of great character and the embodiment of our Core Values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. Drawing "inspiration" from his rural upbringing and his Marine Corps service as a sergeant during World War II, Dr. Heilman's career in higher education and his successes as president and chancellor of a college and university are testimony to what determination and motivation can do. His leadership as a member and chairman of the boards for both the Marine Corps University and the Marine Military Academy, combined with his service on the boards of the Marine Heritage Foundation and the Marine Association have dramatically improved our Corps and speak volumes to his legacy as a leader, educator and Marine Corps visionary. He is a founder and member of the Commandant's Circle in the Museum of the Marines, and remains active in Marine Corps aff airs. In summary, I can offer Dr. Heilman no greater compliment than to say he is a great American, a tremendous family man, and an outstanding Marine! Semper Fi!" - Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James T. Conway "While living up to his own high values, Bruce worked his way up so many ladders that he may have lost count." - Dr. Edward J. Boling, President Emeritus, University of Tennessee