As a contract specialist, those four traits are just as crucial.
Freeman, who will graduate from the Rutgers School of Law–Camden on May 19, is making a smooth transition from one leadership role to the next.
The Woodbury Heights resident is in his ninth year as a reservist, and after graduating from Rutgers–Camden, he will be working as a contract specialist for the Fleet Industrial Supply Command Norfolk, a Navy supply station in Philadelphia.
“Human interaction is so important in both fields,” Freeman says. “I went into the army reserves as a young guy managing ladies and gentlemen much older than me, and those skills will really help me as a contract specialist. Those skills will help me for the rest of my life.”
Freeman says he enlisted in the Army National Guard after the 9/11 attacks because he wanted to do his part to protect his family and his country.
“I was young — just 17 — and I felt as though the people I loved and our way of life was being threatened,” Freeman explains.
Nine years later, he describes it as a tremendous, transforming experience.
“It’s made me a better person,” Freeman says. “It’s given me a unique skill set and a broader perspective than what I would have had if I had just gone the academic route.”
Originally from Jefferson, Md., Freeman received his undergraduate degree at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md. while serving in the Army National Guard.
He commanded 77 reservists in a combat sustainment and support battalion. The battalion was responsible for planning logistical support for the troops who are in combat.
“It was a technical, cerebral job,” Freeman says. “It’s 77 people with different strengths and weaknesses, so you have to work with and utilize each of them in the best way to accomplish the mission. It was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done.”
Freeman came to the Rutgers School of Law–Camden in 2008, where quickly he became interested in contract law.
“Contract law is grounded in reality,” he explains. “You’re facilitating transactions, making things happen, and sometimes in litigation, it can be adversarial. With contracts, you want the best result for your party, but at the end of the day, you have mutual interests and you’re trying to make something positive happen. That appeals to me.”
Freeman says his experience as an army reservist and his law school career will help him in the next phase of his life as a contract specialist.
“The army has given me perspective and has helped me appreciate the things in life we all take for granted,” he says. “Law school has broadened me intellectually and has allowed me to become more analytical. Both have had a tremendous impact on me.”
Freeman’s obligation to the National Guard ends in May 2012, and while he didn’t intend on pursuing a full time career with the reserves, it’s not out of the question.
“Next year, I can tender my letter of resignation, or continue in the reserves,” Freeman says. “I’m not sure what I’ll do, but I might try and make a go of it.”
Media Contact: Ed Moorhouse
(856) 225-6759
E-mail: ejmoor@camden.rutgers.edu