Robert Gordon Culberg

West Point, 1985

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Karson Snyder on March 11, 2026:

Rob and I were Plebes in Company B-2 and he was one of the Plebes I liked to visit on Sunday nights and BS with a little. He had great stories from growing up in California which I, as a North Carolinian, found very interesting. One of these Sunday evenings we were talking when I learned that we had a haircut inspection the next morning. This made me a bit worried as I had let my crewcut grow out a bit too much and thought I would not pass inspection. So, somehow, we decided it would be a great idea if Rob used his electric clippers to trim up my hair. After all, I had a crew cut, so how hard could it be! At inspection, we received the command to "un----COVER." When my Platoon Leader got to me, his eyes sparkled. My "touch-up" haircut had turned into something a bit more severe, so not only was my hair cut VERY short, but it was also a bit uneven. Upon being questioned, I was compelled to name my "barber," so Rob and I ended up in a Company Board with our Company Commander, Dan Bunning, presiding. I can't remember what we got for that - maybe only an 8-4, or potentially a 15-10? I think it wasn't too bad, so probably an 8-4. Anyway, that may have been Rob's first dose of demerits (I would go on to accumulate many more), so while I was sorry to get him in trouble at the time, it was one of those funny only-at-West Point stories that we could tell later. When we went on to different companies as Yearlings, I would see him around, and I think I had a class or two with him. I was glad to have him as a classmate and a friend. Be thou at peace, Rob. Karson Snyder '85 B-2 / I-3

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