Phillips, Carleton J. 2005-03-08
Carl Phillips talks about his childhood and sheds light on the work he did as an undergraduate and graduate student. He talks about his experiences in Iraq.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Carleton J. Phillips
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: March 08, 2005
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: David Marshall
Length: 02:16:01
Abstract
Background; Born at Muskegon, Michigan; Parents’ background; About great-grandfather’s Civil War participation; Archived letters proved his capture; About his manuscript concerning the regiment; Childhood influences; Fondness for animals and airplanes; Class project on Mound Builders; Significance of museum visit; Father’s background; Degree in geology; Outdoor activities; Canoeing experiences with father; Camping trips; Lack of proper camping gear; Benefits; Camping in present times; Hunting experiences; Preference of mammologist; Childhood pastimes; Interest in different types of mice; Mouse trap used; Influence of education; Built airplanes and rocket models as a child; Education at Michigan State University; Reasons to pursue research; Research work at dental lab; Enrolled for a graduate course; Generalist vs. specialist; Pros and cons; Choice based on personality; About Rollin Baker; Personality; Flaws and shortcomings; His views on federal grants; Procured private funding; Impacts of funding; His graduate students; Personality on campus and in the field; About E. Raymond Hall; Personality; Impression of him; Benefits of his encounters with him; About Joseph Grinnell; Post-Graduate studies; Reason he pursued Ph.D. under Dr. Knox Jones; Different research work carried out by graduate students; Research work carried out by him; Field work; Emotional repercussions; Communication tools; Effects; Coping mechanisms; Incident at Nicaragua; Witnessed a shoot-out; Guerilla warfare was common; Field work (continued); Incident at Pakistan; Incident at Guerrero, Mexico; Background of his work in Iraq; Volunteered to go to Iraq; Objectives of proliferation threat reduction; Experiences at Iraq; Purchased a field vehicle; Had a private security force; Benefits of his previous field experience; Safety measures; Armed escorts; Importance of blending in; About his security escort; Dangers of travelling by oneself; No immediate help; Plans adopted; Importance of appearance; Encounter with the military; About mental preparation; Comments on caliber of students; Good at fieldwork; Lack of rough edge; Security of equipment’s Traps stolen in Pakistan; Plans to procure them; Modernization of field work; Inclusion of blood samples; Rollin Baker’s preferences; Obstacles; Issues with tear gas procurement in Africa; About working with Richard Leaky; Incident involving his field vehicle; Incident involving the African mammologist.
Access Information
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Transcript: No transcript available
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