One of Greater Nashville’s most recent newcomers is Major General David Gardner, the first Jewish commander at Fort Campbell. Gardner was introduced to the Jewish community at a reception at the home of Bernie and Maria Pargh. Bernie Pargh says, “We were thrilled to be able to introduce him to the leadership of the Jewish community.”
The event was organized with the assistance of Alice Rolli whose husband Michael Rolli attended West Point with Gardner. Of those days in the middle 1990s, Rolli says, “We were both Jewish cadets, which means we bonded at Friday services which was a way, that first year, to get out of the barracks and to get away from the stress of everyday life at West Point by breaking bread and relaxing with other Jewish cadets.”
Rolli says at that time there were 11 Jewish students in his class of 1994. And while the student body was in his words, “eclectic,” he was not surprised to see Gardner rise to the rank of General. “A lot of my friends who stayed in the Army and became generals I never expected to get that far. Dave was very sharp and very military savvy from the start.”
Although the two lost touch after those early days, Rolli says Gardner appeared to be a natural leader. “He embodied a lot of the characteristics I would admire in a senior leaders in the United States Army.
Also in attendance the reception at the Pargh home was David Fox, a longtime member of The Temple. Fox says his son, Julius, is a junior at Auburn University and a cadet in the Army ROTC. The two have discussed Julius’ future occupation in the Army. During the event, David approached Gardner for some meaningful insights. “He did a fabulous job speaking to a lot of new people. When I asked him what he thought about my son’s interest in specializing in the infantry, he said that had been his specialty. He also explained the effect of new technologies on the roles of people in that field.”
During the reception, Bernie Pargh was presented with a certificate from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, designating him a Colonel Aide de Camp. Pargh was moved by the honor, and said he was inspired by the memory of his own father. “My father was a fighter pilot in the United States Navy in World War II. There were very few Jewish fighter pilots. We should be proud of what he [Gardner] has attained.”
To learn more about General Gardner, we went directly to the source. In an email Q&A with The Observer, he talked about his background, inspiration, and his Jewish values.
Tell is a little about your inspiration for joining the military and a bit about your path to where you are now.
My parents were the Vietnam generation, and my grandparents were the WWII generation, so military service was common, even if only for a short time. As a kid, I often found myself in the library and was attracted to books that had lots of pictures, mostly military history. Then one day when I was nine years old, I found a book titled, “A Day in the Life of a Cadet,” and I was hooked. What started as a dream to attend West Point, turned into loving what I do serving as a Soldier, and I’ve been fortunate to serve ever since. I love what I do every day.
How do your Jewish values and experiences influence you in terms of leadership style and overall philosophy?
Judaism instills a sense of history, which is very consistent with our esprit de corps as Soldiers; we are mindful of those that have come before us and have sacrificed. It instilled in me a strong sense of right and wrong and the notion, as the West Point Cadet Prayer reminds us, of choosing the harder right over the easier wrong. And it instilled in me that one’s actions matter. Keeping the Commandments means that we are judged by our actions, which is exactly how those we lead judge us: not by what we say but by what we do.
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Have you experienced any antisemitism either in life in general and/or in your military career?
While I have always been aware of antisemitism, one of the great things about the military is that it strives for meritocracy. Yes, we bring people together of various backgrounds, but we are united in purpose to defend the Constitution and are hopefully acculturated upon entering in service to stand for the Army values. We are ideally evaluated in the military by our performance and our potential.
How does it feel to know you are the first Jew in this level of command at Fort Campbell?
First and foremost, I am incredibly honored to serve in the 101st Airborne and even more so to serve as it’s Commanding General. This Division has an incredible history, and I pinch myself every day to see if this is a dream. In terms of my Jewish identity, I am proud to demonstrate that we, like many others, serve this great Country, and that the next generation can enjoy an incredibly rewarding life in the Army, and that their families can as well.
Do you have any lessons learned from your experiences being a minority in the military, or anywhere else for that matter?
I’ve learned that success comes through hard work, demonstrated competence, reputation, and fortune or a divine hand, since so many around you are just as talented. I think that one can’t help at times to feel different, but the vast majority of time the identity of being a Soldier is what unites us.
What are your hobbies or things you like to do in your spare time (assuming you have any!)?
We really enjoy spending time as a family above anything else. As my children have gotten older and moved out of the house, my wife and I really enjoy remaining in close contact with them even if we’re far away. I enjoy history, exercise and can’t help but enjoy living in Bourbon country!
Anything else you'd like to add about anything?
I would just like to close by saying again that our 101st Airborne Division has an incredible history, including liberating victims of the Holocaust. The Soldiers of this Division continue to serve around the world and at our Southern border defending the citizens of the greatest Country in the world.
