Fortunately, that assessment doesnt describe Konrad Ludwig.
During that time, he saw frontline combat, including during the 2008 Battle of Sadr City.
The Armory Life (TAL):Is it fair to say that youre not the typical college student?
Konrad Ludwig:Not at all.
That is quite fair.
Im a student veteran and I served in the Army from 2005 to 2010.
Im about a dozen years older than most of the students at Hillsdale College.
TAL:What drew you to the school?
This school allowed me to work on my own hobby projects.
But at the same time, the undergraduate program is really intense and challenging.
I had to really knuckle down, but I wanted to prove that I could do it.
I really enjoy that about Hillsdale.
That actually provides an environment that is free from many of the distractions on other campuses today.
KL:Being a veteran absolutely helped.
When I had to pull an all-nighter, it wasnt really brand new to me.
So I can say that my time in the military made college and Hillsdale a whole lot more approachable.
And did you grow up shooting?
I was never really around guns, so everything I know about firearms was from the military.
Of course, that included all sorts of rifles and heavy weapons including machine guns.
Ive also learned a bit about firearms by watching some videos.
TAL:Do you have any advantages thanks to your time in the military?
KL:Not really.
The training at Hillsdale is so much better than anything I had received in the military.
TAL:In what ways?
KL:I didnt really practice with handguns in the military.
I started at the school just as the team was being transformed from a club to a competitive team.
TAL:How does being on the shooting team at Hillsdale College impact your academic life?
I was also on the mock trial team and the pistol club and later team.
But the grit you learn in the military, especially the infantry, really helped prepare me for that.
If I didnt have that experience I might have been crushed.
That kept me going at times.
If they can do it, then I can do it.
That attitude has gotten me ahead in life.
TAL:How has the team evolved in recent years?
This means we have the same guns and ammunition supply for practice.
Having the ability to work with team really has helped prepare us for competition.
We went from a club to an official varsity sport.
When the buzzer hits, we can handle the stress.
KL:It has.
It literally made all the difference.
We went down in our flannel and bears, and we didnt look like a team.
It was like we were guys who pretended to be from a school.
But we didnt have standardized training.
Now we have the standardized firearms, and we can get bulk sale of the same ammunition.
TAL:It sounds like the team has a good future, too.
KL:It does.
When we attempt to recruit now, we are a lot more legitimate.
In the past it was hard because most students are still under 21 and they cant own a handgun.
That meant we had to recruit seniors who would start to develop the skills and then theyd graduate.
Now we can recruit freshmen who can hone their skills just like in any other sport.
As a result, weve become a very competitive team.
KL:Id very much like to continue to compete.
Ill participate more in Steel Challenges and work up to semi-pro.
I hope to continue to compete as much as I can.
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