Then a chaplain walked by and saw him move his finger. Stackpole Stackpole, now 61, breezes over his own calamities of war. In fact, he doesn't mention them at all except in contemplation of their meaning. In the moment you are closest to death, combat in general produces an awareness of life. And the awareness is not in connection to yourself.
People do extraordinary things in times of distress.
Largely because of that appreciation, the now-retired, highly decorated Marine Corps lieutenant general is praised by friends and colleagues as a man of boundless empathy, faith, character and loyalty. That and his reputation as a military Renaissance man of sorts, they say, make Stackpole the perfect man to preside over The Citadel. He is a deeply religious man, and he has a commitment to excellence. The school would be well-served. Beckington said Stackpole would give The Citadel new credibility because of his commitment to intellectual excellence and the depth of his accomplishments.