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An Oral History Of An Oral History of MICHAEL NARDOTTI MAJOR GENERAL (RETIRED) UNITED STATES ARMY ( 1969 · 1997) The Judge Advocate General, United States Army Interviewed by Major Kevin Boyle Major Michael McHugh 48th Graduate Course May 2000 The Judge Advocate General's School United States Army Charlottesville, Virginia This oral history was completed in partial satisfaction of the Master of Laws requirements of the 48th Judge Advocate Officer Graduate Course. The tapes and transcripts of this oral history are the property of the United States government. Requests for permission to reprint should be directed to the Senior Librarian, The Judge Advocate General's School, United States Army, 600 Massie Road, ATTN: JAGS-ADL-P, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-1781. TABLE OF CONTENTS Biography . I Background Chronology IV Interview Plan Sequence VI Interview 1 Index 243 MAJOR GENERAL MICHAEL NARDOTTI UNITED STATES ARMY Major General (Retired) Michael Nardotti served as the Judge Advocate General from October 1993 through August 1997. While serving in that position he is often credited with developing the JAGC motto "Soldiers First". However, that philosophy developed over a career spanning twenty-eight years. MG (R) Nardotti was born in Brooklyn, New York on 30 Aprill947. Shortly thereafter he moved to Long Island, New York and graduated from Uniondale High School. After graduation he became the first graduate of his high school to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Upon graduation in 1969, he received a Bachelor of Science Degree and was commissioned in the Infantry. As an infantry officer, MG (R) Nardotti attended both the Infantry Officer Basic Course and 1 the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He then was assigned to the 5 h Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Carson, Colorado, from February to August 1970. There he served as a reconnaissance platoon leader and headquarters company commander. In September 1970 1 1 he deployed to Vietnam and served as a rifle platoon leader with the I st Squadron, 9 h Cavalry, I ' Cavalry Division. He held this position until he was wounded in action in December 1970. From December 1970 through May 1971, MG (R) Nardotti underwent extensive hospitalization and rehabilitation both in theater and at St Albans Naval Hospital. In May 1971 he was reassigned to West Point and served as a physical education instructor. In 1973 he entered Fordham Law School under the excess leave program. His first assignment as a judge advocate was in 1977 as a prosecutor and legal center officer-in-charge with the 3'd Armored Division in Germany. Prior to his assignment in 1980 to Litigation Division, Office of the Judge Advocate General, MG (R) Nardotti attended the Judge Advocate Advanced Course. He remained at Litigation Division for five years and worked in both the Military Personnel Branch and the Torts Branch. While at Litigation Division he handled many of the Army's most complex cases to include defending the Army's Chaplains Program. From !985 through !988 he served as the Staff Judge Advocate for the I st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. There he became one of the first Staff Judge Advocates to routinely send his judge advocates to all field exercises as well as on deployments. In 1988 he was reassigned to Fort Benning, Georgia and served as the Staff Judge Advocate for the U.S. Army Infantry Center until !990. In 1990, MG (R) Nardotti attended the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. He then served briefly in the Contract Appeals Division, U.S. Army Legal Services Agency, before appointment and promotion to Brigadier General and assignment as the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Civil Law and Litigation. In October 1993 he was promoted to Major General and sworn in as The Judge Advocate General of the Army. While in that position he expanded the role of reserve component judge advocates and instilled his vision throughout the JAGC that judge advocates best serve their client, the Army, by understanding that they are soldiers first. He also successfully met several legal challenges to include the Aberdeen recruiting scandal, the courts-martial of the SGM of the Army, SGM Gene McKinney, and implementation of a new Homosexual Conduct Policy. Following retirement in August 1997, MG (R) Nardotti entered the private practice of law. On I November !997 he joined the law firm of Patton Bogg, L.L.P., in Washington, DC, as a partner. His practice areas include litigation, government contracts, and defense and national security policy. 11 MG (R) Nardotti's awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device and Oak Leaf Cluster. He is also authorized to wear the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Parachutist's Badge, and Ranger Tab. MG (R) Nardotti and his family, wife Susan, children Chris, Sarah, and Matthew, currently reside in Virginia and maintain close ties with the JAGC. iii JUDGE ADVOCATE ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM BACKGROUND CHRONOLOGY SUBJECT: MG Michael Nardotti (USA Retired) I. 1947: Born 30 April1947 in Brooklyn, New York. 2. 1969: B.S., United States Military Academy at West Point. 3. 1969: Student, Infantry Officer Basic Course and Ranger School, Fort Benning, Georgia. 4. 1970: Reconnaissance Platoon Leader and Headquarters Company Commander, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Carson, Colorado. 5. 1970: Rifle Platoon Leader, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Army Vietnam. 6. 1970-1971: Wounded in action in Vietnam; underwent extensive hospitalization and rehabilitation at Saint Albans Naval Hospital. 7. 1971: Assigned to West Point as Physical Education Instructor. 8. 1973: Entered Fordham Law School on Excess Leave Program. 9. 1976: Student, Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course, Charlottesville, Virginia. 10. 1977: Prosecutor and Legal Center Officer-in-Charge, 3d Armored Division, Germany. 11. 1979: Student, Judge Advocate Officer Advanced Course, Charlottesville, Virginia. 12. 1980-1985: Litigation Division, Military Personnel Branch and Torts Branch. 13. 1985-1988: Staff Judge Advocate, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 14. 1988-1990: Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Infantry Center, Fort Benning, Georgia. 15. 1990: National War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. 16. 1991-1993: Assistant Judge Advocate General for Civil Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C. 17. 1993-1997: The Judge Advocate General of the Army, Washington, D.C. IV 18. 1997: Retired from Active Duty in August 1997. 19. 1997: Joined the Law Firm of Patton Bogg, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., as a partner. Researchers: Major Kevin Boyle Major Michael McHugh Oral History Program Coordinator, TJAGSA: Lieutenant Colonel Alan Cook Commandant, TJAGSA: Colonel Calvin Lederer v JUDGE ADVOCATE ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM INTERVIEW PLAN SEQUENCE Subject: MG Michael Nardotti (USA Retired) Dates and Location of Interview: 15 Mar 00 and 31 Mar 00, Washington, DC. MAJOR SUBJECT AREAS DATE. LENGTH and LOCATION I. Pre-interview discussion 15 Mar 00, 30 minutes A. Oral History Program Law Firm Patton Boggs, Wash, DC. B. Administrative Details II. Personal Background 15 Mar 00, 2.5 hours A. Early Education Law Firm Patton Boggs, Wash, DC B. West Point C. Infantry Officer Basic Course D. Ranger School III. Military Service in Vietnam IV. Early Judge Advocate Experience A.3rd Armored Division, Germany B. Graduate Course C.Litigation Division V. Supervisory Judge Advocate Experience 31 Mar 00, 9.5 hours A. SJA, I'' Cav Div, Fort Hood, TX Law Firm Patton Boggs, Wash, DC B. SJA, U.S.A. InfCenter, Fort Benning GA C. U.S. Army War College D. Contract Appeals Division VI. Service as a General Officer A. The Assistant Judge Advocate for Civil Law and Litigation B. The Judge Advocate General I. Relationship with other General Officers 2. Philosophy as TJAG 3. Homosexual Conduct Policy 4. SGM McKinney Courts-Martial 5. Aberdeen Scandal 6. Role of Reserve Judge Advocates VII. Retirement A. Current Position B. Relationship with JAGC Vl Q. We'll start with your childhood and your education before you came into the Army. Where were you originally from? A. I'm originally from New York. I was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Long Island. I left Brooklyn when I was about two years old. I started in Catholic school and then went into the public school system. I graduated from Uniondale High School, New York and lived in Hempstead which was the town right adjacent to it. My high school was about 2200 students. It had a heavy ethnic mix: Italian, Polish, Irish, and Jewish. The high school was about 22% African American. A very competitive area in terms of academic achievement and athletics. A good environment to grow up in. Q. Were any members of your family in the military? A. My dad served in World War II. I had several uncles who did the same. My dad served in the South Pacific. He was in the infantry but did a lot of things in the logistics area. He also was a musician. That was really the only contact that in terms of family that I had. No one in the family, either on my mother or my father's side, were career military. Q. When he came back from World War II, is he one of the vets who got the housing bill to move out to Long Island which started the growth of Long Island? A. He was one of the ones who took advantage of the GI loans that were so prevalent at that time. Q. When did you decide to go to West Point? A. When I was about in the IO'h grade, as I was beginning to focus on what I was going to do, where I was going to go to school, I had just begun to develop an interest in the academies to see whether it would be an option for me.
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