Man of Service: In the Field and on Campus, 'the General' Supported the Rank and File with Humor, Humility, and Integrity

Always on Mission

Murphy — a military spouse who previously worked as a respiratory therapist — was hired and mentored by Anderson. Her husband, Col. Dan Murphy, was also mentored by Gen. Anderson in the Army National Guard.

“Dave poured out his life in service to people and the mission,” she recalls. “He had a calm, thoughtful leadership style, and I am so grateful for his graciousness in letting me learn my role. We worked really hard, had a lot of fun, and laughed all the time!”

Anderson’s generosity shown brightly with the university’s military students, too. He connected them to recruiters and resources, attended meetings with them, explained their options, and shared his experience to help them make the best decisions for their careers.

“He was always looking to the horizon, and he could see the whole picture without losing the human component,” says Vice President for Enrollment Services Rachael Brash. “As an engineer by training, he was pragmatic yet still people-focused. He knew whom he was serving, and while he never led with his rank, he wasn’t afraid to show the brass when needed.”

Strong Roots

Born in 1955, Anderson grew up on a farm near Oakes, ND. His pride in his mother’s Norwegian heritage was legendary: The Norwegian flag flew at the farm, and May 17 (Norway’s Constitution Day) was an occasion for traditional Norwegian foods and treats even during his time at the University of Mary.

Anderson attended North Dakota State University, graduating in 1980 as second lieutenant through the university’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program with a degree focused in science and mathematics. For more than a decade, he served in the National Guard while farming his family’s land; then, Anderson relocated to Bismarck to pursue his military career full-time. Both friends and family credit his years on the farm for solidifying his grit and humility.

In 2002, he assumed command of the 142nd Engineer Combat Battalion and led the unit’s yearlong deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He became commander of the North Dakota Army National Guard, then served as land component commander for the state before retiring from the military in 2014 after 34 years of service. He then joined Mary, establishing the Military Student Services office as one of the university’s true strengths and mission priorities. Anderson served here until his passing last spring.

Inspired by the general’s example, his nephews, Lt. Col. Brian Anderson and Capt. Jason Anderson, joined the Army to become AH-64 Apache helicopter pilots. Both flew combat missions overseas, employing lessons learned from Uncle Dave. Today, Brian continues to serve in the Army, while Jason is the founder and CEO of Veteran PCS (veteranpcs.com), which provides online relocation support services and expertise to military families.

Humble Leadership

Even as battalion commander, no task was beneath the general. During his deployment to Iraq, when it was necessary for the camp to burn trash and latrine waste, he was the first to pick up a stick to stir and stoke the fires.

“He rose through the ranks, but it never changed who he was at heart,” Jason recalls. “It’s common for officers to disassociate with the junior ranks. He didn’t do that. He wanted to find out what people needed: ‘How can I help you do your job better?’”

“Once when Dave was at drill, he hung out all morning with some Blackhawk crew chiefs,” says Brian. “Then he spent that afternoon with the lieutenants and captains, and all of the questions he had asked that morning — about tools, systems, and processes; friction points and frustrations — became his talking points for the afternoon. His humility and willingness to ask and listen allowed him to gain insight and fix problems or issues throughout the unit.”

Anderson guided his nephews in a similar way. With no spouse or children of his own, he was a fixture in their lives, and though he never pushed them toward the military, he was a constant source of encouragement and wisdom.

“Any of our ROTC stuff in college, he was there, and when somebody is super proud and supportive of the work you’re doing, you want to do it well,” says Jason. “Because of his example, early in my Army career, I did some things that were unusual for an officer: going to PT [physical training], being out on the flight line, or just hanging out with the troops. I thought that was what it meant to be an officer — over time, I came to see that Dave was very different.”

Lasting Impact

In addition to his military mentorship, Anderson volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters, serving as a “big brother” to several young men over the course of more than 30 years. He provided a consistent, positive presence, often in the simplest ways.

“He wasn’t giving them monster leadership lessons,” Jason says. “He might get them some new shoes for school or have them over for dinner. Often they would just sit and play computer games.”

Anderson fostered those relationships for his entire life: He was still inviting his little brothers for steak and beer within weeks of his passing.

“We can all take a lesson from him: Serve something bigger than yourself. Serve your family, neighbors, community, local government,” Brian says. “You don’t have to wear a uniform to serve. Dave worked at UMary to give back to service members and veterans, he served on the Ethics Commission and Big Brothers Big Sisters, and he also hung out with his neighbors, just to be present.” Brian points to his brother Jason as one example of his uncle’s legacy.

“Jay continues to give back to the military community on a daily basis, whether connecting military families to real estate agents during stressful times or providing employment opportunities to military spouses,” he says. “Dave’s impact knows no bounds — so many people were shaped by the way he lived his life.”

The General David B. Anderson Military Scholarship

The University of Mary offers the General David B. Anderson Military Scholarship to degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students who are currently serving in the US military.

• Eligible undergraduate students receive up to $200 per credit ($2,400 maximum per semester).
• Eligible graduate students receive a scholarship equal to the difference between our stated tuition rate per credit and the military tuition assistance rate per credit.
• This scholarship can be applied to both online and site-based degree programs, including those at any of our satellite locations.

This fall, our annual Candlelight Gala raised $1.8 million in Gen. Anderson’s honor to support this scholarship. The gala auction included two American flags flown aboard Apache helicopters over Afghanistan by Lt. Col. Brian Anderson and Capt. Jason Anderson.

For more information about the scholarship, visit umary.edu/info-military or call our Military Student Services office at 701-355-8169.