Conversation with Dudley selectman candidate Alfred Reich

Al Reich’s life has been punctuated with Navy tours in Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, and Haiti. After an initial seven and a half years of active duty he joined the Reserves. He was a hospital corpsman, a medic, and “they just kept calling me back for another tour because I could do the job, knew what I was doing,” he said. He and Army General Norman Schwarzkopf were the two oldest men in their Desert Storm area of operation, Mr. Reich told us.

“Over the years I learned so much, learned from professionals,” he added, “and some of it rubs off on you. Now I look at things differently than someone who has been in a little town all their life and have never gone anywhere.”

When he wasn’t doing a military tour, Mr. Reich worked as a probation officer in the Massachusetts Trial Court system, retiring after 30 years. He has also been on the faculty of Quinsigamond Community college, teaching in the criminal justice program. His community activities include membership in the VFW, American Legion, and Disabled American Veterans.

Mr. Reich has served Dudley as a selectman once before, from 2003 to 2006. He’s running for the position again because “I think Dudley needs an experienced person on the board. My opponents are good human beings, but don’t have the experience I have.”