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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 9/26/07 |
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In
the News Archive - Year:
April 15, 2005 UW-Green Bay honors students called to duty University officials endeavor to ease transition between By Nathan Phelps
On Thursday, the university hosted its first Veteran's Appreciation Reception as a show of support to students who have, or are, serving their country.
Among those recognized for active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, was Brent Heiges, an Army reservist from Appleton who spent 11 months in Iraq.
"It's really challenging," he said about the transition between college and active duty. "I really wanted to finish college, but I signed the papers and made the commitment and that's something you're willing to give up anytime they need you."
Heiges got home about a year-and-a-half ago, returning to school at UWGB, where he is a sophomore majoring in business administration and German. He said it's nice that the service of the veterans is being recognized, something that didn't happen with Vietnam veterans.
The seeds of the reception were planted last fall when UWGB Chancellor Bruce Shepard said he was thinking of a way to welcome back students, including those that served in the military. Like Heiges, his thoughts went back to the people who came home from Vietnam.
"We made some serious mistakes that included confusing whatever concerns we might have had about those we elected to the awesome responsibility of deciding how to use our military force ... with those who answered their responsibilities as citizens or as members of the military to act as directed," he said. "I thought 'We can't let that happen this time around.'"
Elaina Koltz, veterans coordinator with UWGB, said active-duty service can keep students out of school for up to two years.
"You're looking at losing two good years of education for some of them," she said. "To come back and get back into school, a lot of them don't."
The university has at least 125 people who have served in the armed forces and Koltz said that they usually have about five students each semester who are on active duty.
She's hopeful events like the reception held Thursday will help students with the transitions between college life and active-duty service. Koltz said the university also has policies in place designed to make the deployment process easier for students.
"You can't explain what a person goes through when they get activated and to know that support behind you is the biggest thing," said Koltz, who was a platoon sergeant with the 1157th Transportation Company out of Oshkosh.
It's not just the students who face the possibility of activation; Koltz was called to active duty for a year in 2002 and 2003 while employed at the university.
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