Robert Augustine Seidel III

West Point, 2004

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Rob Lodewick on May 28, 2006:

I was fortunate enough to spend my plebe year with Rob up in that corner room of Mac short. We met on R-Day when we ran into each other with those big silly blue bags. In as much as I was 6'5" and 240lbs, Rob lost that battle. Nevertheless he piped up with one of his silly jokes, and I immediately knew that he was going to make Beast a lot more bearable. Turns out we were both headed for the same room. As roommates, we suffered through Beast together in the same squad. When that fun was over, we got paired up again as roomies for our first semester in B-4, and then again for the Spring semester. Needless to say, we knew both each other's good and bad sides. I can say with confidence that it was much easier for me to adapt to live with him, than it was for him to live with me. Honestly, looking back on my plebe year, I have no idea how Rob refrained from pushing me out the window. Nevertheless, I am a better man for the time I spent with him. He taught me many things about being a team player, taking everything with a grain of salt, and the beauty of unexpected humor, as well as other lessons that I am only now starting to understand. Plebe year was hard enough without some of the stuff I was dealing with. Having Rob as a roommate was truly a blessing. Whether it was an early wake up, a SAMI-gone-bad, a bad break-up with the girlfriend, or a 0300 attack from a shave cream bomb, Rob was one of those guys who would always make it ok. Usually it was through humor, as all who knew him will never forget. Yet Rob was also always there for me with a sincere hand up whenever I fell. I can't count the number of times he had my back and watched my 6. Rob and I both struggled with the academics plebe year, but there was never a time he wouldn't put his book down to help me out... usually resulting in me getting to bed before him. After a bad break-up with my high school girlfriend of 3 years, his best advice came through the speakers of his computer in the form of his vast collection of country music. Without a single word, he'd pick a song that would always hit the spot and usually end with us singing along. We both agreed many times during the course of that year that we "Should've Been A Cowboy..." and not a plebe. Then there was the time I spent 8 days in the Hospital with mono. Not only did Rob prepare the whole room for a SAMI by himself, he still had time to visit me in the hospital that Friday night. When I finally got back, all my uniforms were ironed and ready to wear, and notes from the 2 classes that we had together were waiting on my desk. If you were on Rob's team, he wouldn't let you fall. I could go on and on about the memories Rob and I shared and how much I will miss him, as I'm sure we all could. I apologize for the lengthy eulogy, but hopefully others can relate to some of my personal memories. The bottom line is that anyone who knew Rob Seidel knew a good man, a great Soldier, and an even greater friend. This country and our Army has lost a great leader. My most sincere condolences go out to his family. Rob touched many lives in many different ways. Through his unwaivering friendship, compassion, and sacrifice, he is undoubtedly leaving this world a better place than he found it. Be Thou At Peace Brother... We'll Never Forget You.

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