Instead of taking notes during a normal lecture Tuesday night, students in sociology Prof. Charles Moskos’s “Sociology of the Armed Forces” class heard a firsthand account of the war in Iraq from a Northwestern alumnus.

Special Forces Maj. Chad Storlie, Weinberg ’89, spoke about his experiences to about 170 students at the Technological Institute. He described the heart-wrenching scenes and emotional stress of living and being a soldier in a combat zone.

“We were pretty much stumbling over massive graves,” Storlie said of his 11-month service in Baghdad.

The conditions of war often lead to combat stress, when soldiers’ psyches become overwhelmed with their grim surroundings. Combat stress affects different people in varied ways.

“It can happen to anybody,” Storlie said.

For example, when riding in a military vehicle, soldiers must sit upright, facing out the windows at full attention to keep potential insurgents at bay, said Storlie, a reserve office with the U.S. Army Special Forces.

“You don’t look anybody in the eye,” he said, adding that soldiers are trained to look at people’s hands in order to spot guns or grenades.

“Imagine doing that for 365 days,” he said.

But Storlie also emphasized the optimism that many soldiers gain from seeing the gradual rebuilding of Iraq.

Soldiers’ morale suffers when they read reports that focus on military casualties, said Storlie, adding that soldiers jump at the opportunity to read American news and find out about the latest trends back home.

“They’re trying so hard to do things that are right and it just doesn’t get seen in the media,” Storlie said.

Moskos used the former NU student’s visit to explain the sociological dynamics of the army.

While many soldiers may be “working class youths” with an education from state universities or less, he said, Storlie doesn’t fit this profile.

Moskos said he thought Storlie was the only NU graduate currently serving in the Special Forces.

After graduating from NU with a bachelor’s degree in history, Storlie received an MBA from Georgetown University. He decided to put his professional career on hold to pursue other aspirations.

“Really what I was looking for was to do something different,” he said, something that was “challenging physically and mentally.”

Although Storlie called a Northwestern education valuable, he also challenged students to think beyond traditional schooling.

“Our next question should be: how do I add value to the society when I’m done?” he said.

Storlie chose to serve in the military after participating in ROTC as an undergraduate.

He has graduated from a number of military schools and has earned several awards from his service in Korea and Bosnia, including the Bronze Star, which is awarded to any soldier who distinguishes himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service.

Students asked questions ranging from his personal experiences in Iraq to the country’s situation in general.

“We should’ve asked more questions about his personal experience,” said Weinberg senior Vassar Oenbring. “He had a high level of tolerance and understanding for the Iraqi people.”

Other students said they gained respect for Storlie after hearing him speak.

“When you got someone that qualified, it’s a real honor,” Weinberg sophomore William Burns said. “He definitely gives real life perspectives.”

Reach James Shih at [email protected].