USD Magazine Fall 2022

[ s e c u r i t y ] L t . G e n e r a l h a s s e r v e d a t t h e t i p o f t h e s p e a r GOD , F AM I L Y AND COUN T R Y

W

by Kelsey Gray ’15 (BA) hen Lt. General

Army today are as patriotic and motivated as I’ve ever seen.” At the age of 57, Cloutier cur- rently serves as commander of Allied Land Command, which ensures that NATO land forces remain prepared and operable to maintain the freedom and secu- rity of the alliance. He’s respon- sible for a half million soldiers from dozens of NATO and part- ner nations. His years of experi- ence prepared him for the lead- ership role. “I never thought I’d be where I was today when I first came to the University of San

Diego,” says Cloutier. “Between my family, my faith and the U.S. Army, I’ve grown tremendously.” His father served in the Air Force, which caused the family to move frequently. But in 1980, Cloutier’s dad was transferred to Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado to do joint duty with the Navy. The move placed Cloutier at Hilltop High School in Chula Vista; he was subsequently recruited as a running back to USD by then-football coach Brian Fogarty. “The interaction between

Fogarty and I was really good,” he recalls. “Also, I was raised in the Catholic Church, so I thought going to a Catholic university would be great for me.” He quickly discovered that his passion lay in political science. “Trying to understand the international system and how the U.S. fits into that drew me in [that] direction.” Cloutier had a friend on the football team who also happened to be a part of the SDSU Army ROTC. “One day, my buddy was walking by in his uniform, and

Roger L. Cloutier ‘87 (BA) stood on the

flight deck of the USS Midway and looked out at a group of San Diego State University Army ROTC cadets. They were being commissioned as Second Lieu- tenants in the U.S. Army and would soon begin a journey that Cloutier himself set out on more than three decades ago. “Less than three-tenths of one percent wear the uniform,” says Cloutier. “The young men and women who join the

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