Professor Charlie Moskos, who died Saturday, was widely cited by journalists and scholars for his expertise on the sociology of the armed forces, and was an influential figure within the military itself. Here’s how people at Northwestern and across the country are remembering him:
Charlie excelled as a scholar, teacher, mentor and in the quality of his friendships. While I treasure all Charlie’s gifts, it is his friendship and loyalty I will miss most.
– Aldon Morris, interim chair of Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
Charlie had the kind of career at Northwestern that legends are made of, except in his case the stories of having taught tens of thousands of students with that perfect mix of rhythm and rigor are no exaggeration! The sociology department will miss him dearly. He is irreplaceable.
– Mary Pattillo, Professor of Sociology and African American Studies
Despite his success and notoriety, Charlie remained a patriotic, humble man who deeply believed in the virtue of public service for its own sake. He frequently lunched with four-star generals and members of Congress, but never let that swell his head.
– Phillip Carter, Washington Post military affairs writer and U.S. veteran
He had a very generous spirit and was always ready to laugh at himself. The one subject, in my experience, that he considered No Laughing Matter was the excellence of Greek-Americans, as compared with any other subset of humanity. As Ilca Hohn Moskos said in her message, “He was an academic, but not pretentious, funny, but not silly.” A very good man.
– James Fallows, reporter for The Atlantic
For those of us who served, there was simply no one else like him. He was analytical but personal, dispassionate but caring, and above all, a respected, thoughtful friend to so many of us in the military. I first met him at a conference at West Point in the early 1970’s, read almost everything he wrote, and I continued to see him periodically and correspond occasionally for over three decades. He truly had an impact on the military, and he gave many of us the reassurance that someone out there knew us, cared about us, and could help see our best interests as a nation and a military were looked after.
– Gen. Wesley Clark
Charles was a remarkable man, a renowned scholar who repeatedly offered thoughtful advice and thought-provoking ideas on the challenges with which we have grappled over the year.
– Gen. David H. Petraeus, commanding general in Iraq