Palmer Trinity School

Ozzie Selent: Protector and Friend By Blanca Morales, Marketing and Communications Manager OZ ZIE S ELENT K NOWS a lot of things. Not only does he come from a background in military and airport security, but he knows the secrets of everyone who comes to campus. He doesn't ask to be told things, but everyone from the students to the faculty and staff all know they can trust him. Need proof? When he sat down for an interview about his professional background, he responded to basic questions about operations with: "That's classified." Yet somehow, despite his intimidating background and vault of knowledge, Ozzie, who has worked at PTS as head of security for just under four years, is one of the friendliest faces on campus. Everyone visits with Ozzie. Stay and chat long enough and you may hear 1960s country music playing from his desk. In that same area, there are cards from graduating seniors (his "other grandchildren," as he says), thanking him for being there. Their notes and joking exchanges back and forth have become a favorite part of his workday. "I pick on them and they pick on me. That's the fun part of my job," Ozzie says. "I say, 'I don't know why they built the chapel; everyone comes to confess at the guardhouse!' To me, I get my kicks being here. It's important to get to know people." Born as Osvald Selent, named after his Polish uncle, Ozzie grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina before coming to America in 1965. "When I was young and good looking at 20 years old, I came to the U.S. Been here ever since," he said. "Here, in this country, people thought my name was too long; so I've been 'Ozzie' for 55 years." He first moved to White Plains, NY, and got his first job cutting grass for a landscaping company just three days later. After a handful of professional gigs over the next couple years, Ozzie felt a strong call to defend his new home—so he enlisted in the U.S. Army. "I went into the army in 1967, right in the middle of the Vietnam War. I did basic training in Georgia, then went to California to train mainly in cryptology, which I scored high in—it was fun," he remembers. "After additional training, I got a kick in the pants to Vietnam." After two tours of duty, Ozzie found himself working at the airport in Portchester. He dreamed of becoming a pilot, but didn't have the funds to get his license or do the necessary training. One of his colleagues at the time suggested he consider becoming an aircraft dispatcher, which requires candidates to know a lot about meteorology, aircraft performance and operation and how to keep things running on time. Ozzie didn't know much about it, but undeterred, he went straight to the Pan Am desk and asked. He was sent to their academy and his G.I. bill paid for half of his training. He started his career in the airline industry with Braniff International Airways, when a position opened palmertrinity.org 14 BIRD'S EYE VIEW

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