D. Pierce Nixon III, former senior editor for the opinion section of The Hoya

Will's contribution to campus media comes from the unique perspective he has developed as a war veteran now in a college lifestyle. Will is a former US Army Staff Sergeant, who worked as an interrogator for Army intelligence at, among other places, Abu Ghraib prison. Following his tour of duty, he enrolled at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown where he is participating in the Army ROTC program.

Georgetown is a school where students generally consider themselves to be well-read, and often believe that they speak on authority about issues such as the war in Iraq and social justice, whether they have a personal connection to those issues or not. Will provides a refreshing reminder that those topics can't be understood in full without first-hand knowledge of the realities of war. 

In a community traditionally dominated by wealthy, privileged students below 22 years old, he is several years older. He is a veteran of a war. And he has both the courage and deft ability to present his story in a way that makes his classmates better understand their world. Although his future as a military officer stands to be threatened by the opinions of the Pentagon that he so openly expresses, he recognized that the benefit that he can give to our school by presenting his uniquely informed opinion is great enough that it far outweighs any personal difficulty he may someday see as a result.

Col. Daniel Baltrusaitis, professor at Air War College

Will has the maturity and insight of a seasoned journalist, which I found compelling since he is an undergraduate here at Georgetown University.  The event that highlighted Will’s journalistic acumen was an opinion piece that he wrote for a Sunday edition of the Washington Post in November 2007 concerning his experiences as an interrogator at Abu Ghraib, and the influence that his experience has had on his undergraduate education. 

His article articulately related the enormous gap of awareness between war veterans and the undergraduates at Georgetown.  Will accurately captured the dichotomy in the nation between those that are directly affected by the war and the larger public.  His challenge to the spirit of service here at Georgetown was a wakeup call to the University that leadership and community action are more than mere words.  He presents the story of another undergraduate who, “want[ed] to dedicate my[her] life to educating people about the sufferings of others,” but whose words rang hollow when stacked against the actual deeds done to implement that goal.  He found “it frustrating that Facebook is a bigger part of most students’ lives than the war.” 

His article personally touched many who read The Post, including me.  I personally contacted Will to discuss his article and found him to be well ahead of his peers in insight and maturity. Will has the capability to blend idealism with the problems faced in the real world and forge solutions that are honest and pragmatic.  Peers and professors seek out Will for his insights on the torture scandal and the Iraq War in general.  His experience and education is respected in all circles and I often find him giving counsel to those who would normally be considered mentors. 

Will’s article has influenced multiple decision-makers in the highest level of government by showing the human side of the Iraq War.  In the process, he provides an example of the cost and sacrifice required for any worthwhile achievement. 

Keith Hrebenak, professor of military strategy and international relations for Georgetown University

I knew William Quinn before he started in my class because he wrote a column for the paper. From the first day of class, I would go over with him and talk with him about his columns. He was very good with constructive criticism, and I watched his writing improved steadily in the paper.

He opens himself up – a brave thing to do and not a lot of people are going around doing that. Once, he wrote a column that he got into the Washington Post. It was a personal account about him coming back from Iraq. He talked about his experience being an interrogator in Abu Gharib before all the excitement. He said it was an odd adjustment to come home, to ride in a car with no rifle in hand and not waiting for something to explode. He brought that world to the students, helping to open up his classmates’ eyes.

If he gets one person to stop and say, “gee, I didn’t think of it that way,” or “there is more to this than I thought,” than his column is worthwhile – I’m sure he does that and more with his writing.

Dina Guenther, opinion editor for The Hoya

Will is an excellent columnist. His columns are well-reasoned and thoughtful; most importantly, they challenge the status quo, something that Georgetown and The Hoya desperately need. I find his ability to think outside of the usual paths (especially those paths that members of the military seem to take all too frequently) and to publish his views in so public a forum admirable.

The only feeling I've ever had that was more surreal than arriving in a war zone was returning from one. I came home on R&R in 2005 after eight months in Iraq. Heading for the baggage claim in Detroit, I watched travelers walking and talking on their cellphones, chatting with friends and acting just the way people had before I'd left for Baghdad. The war didn't just seem to be taking place in another country; it seemed to be taking place in another universe.

Imagine that an RA, walking through a dorm at night, hears a noise that sounds suspicious, so he knocks on the door. He eventually gains access to the room and realizes that he has interrupted a sex act between two male students. He reports the incident to the administration. The president oversees an investigation into the sexual identity of the two students. The investigation infuriates other homosexual students, so several of them walk into the president’s office and claim to be homosexuals. After learning that all the students are in fact homosexuals, Georgetown expels all of them.

War is a terrible thing. When political goals clash and violence erupts, we often avoid a consideration of the horrors of war by arguing that our actions are just. We say that war has been forced upon us by our conscience, that there is a moral imperative to react violently to a threat, to defend our existence or to advance a cause that is inherently good.