William Seaman

Q: “Tell us a bit about yourself, William.”
A: "I am from a dispersed family thanks in part to my career in the Air Force, but have decided to retire in Tucson where I currently live. I retired two weeks before residency and went on a six-week motorcycle trip around the US and Canada on what I called my victory lap for completing 33 years in the Air Force and for completing my Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis degree from Norwich.  I have been married to a very loving and patient woman for over 19 years who has been my greatest advocate and sounding board in my career and toward finishing my bachelor degree."

Q: “Briefly describe your professional life.”
A: "I retired from 33 years of enlisted service to the Air Force. I retired from active duty as a career enlisted aviator and operations superintendent at the rank of senior master sergeant. I attended the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy in 2010 and the Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy in 2011 – both of these academies were highlights of my career and prepared me to excel at Norwich."

Q: “What was your motivation for pursuing your degree?”
A: "My motivation was to be competitive in the workforce following my active duty retirement and to leverage Air Force tuition assistance to help pay for the degree."

Q: “Why did you choose Norwich, how did you learn about it?”
A: "My attendance at the Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy uncovered a talent for strategic thinking and the ability to analyze a country and how its decisions can impact United States' interests. I found the SSDA program at Norwich an ideal choice to complete my BS and enrolled using Air Force tuition assistance. I was motivated to completing my degree quickly so that I could take advantage of tuition assistance; so I completed seven courses worth 33 credits in about 15 months – just in time for my retirement."

Q: “How have you grown personally or professionally as a result of your education?”
A: "I will try. No matter what the obstacle or task, I will bear down, point my nose into the wind, and take it one step at a time until I reach my goal. Professionally, I was able to take what I had learned during my studies and apply logical and strategic thought to enhance my performance and to help grow the Airmen whom I managed and the younger senior NCOs whom I mentored."

Q: “How have you applied your knowledge at your job?”
A: "One of the sections in our squadron was intelligence with over 20 young Airmen who were learning to apply their craft. On several occasions, I was able to mentor some of the more promising Airmen on leveraging strategic thought to fully understand how their actions can have implications to US security and worldwide stability. If they do this, they will master their craft to better accomplish the mission and meet their professional goals."

Q: “What aspects of your Norwich experience will you carry most strongly with you?”
A: "It widened my aperture on how I view life and how I approach any given situation because there are a wide arrange of variables to consider before making an opinion or taking a course of action."