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Chapter 14: My Career Begins
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jobs in the Air Corps in the western states. Mr. Rathert had been noti-
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would be responsible for classifying civilian jobs in the Armys installa-
tions in the eight western states. The eight western states were under the
command of Ninth Service Command.
Al Rathert had earned a Masters in Personnel Administration at
the University of Minnesota and then had gone to work in Washington,
DC for the Army. He was a bright and capable guy. To help him man-
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Rathert went to the University of Utah to seek recommendations of can-
didates for his jobs. He asked for the professor of personnel administra-
tion. There were, of course, none. He was referred to Professor Charles
Schleicher, who taught public administration. Dr. Schleicher recom-
mended three fellows Francis Gasser, a recent law school graduate; a
fellow who was receiving a Masters degree; and me. After interview-
ing each of us, Rathert selected me. How I happened to make the grade
against such competition I shall never know. I think the good Lord was
guiding me. That job directed my path into the subsequent professional
life in human relations that I pursued. It was a blessing.
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A few weeks later, I was sent to the Presidio in San Francisco for
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cally found in Ninth Service Command installations. It was appalling to
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