Veterans represented in new RSO
Larry Burge
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: News
MPPOC has applied for office space and Web site space, and the group is developing a listserv to help further its access to its members and any military service members - men and women. Gordon said he hopes to grow the organization by keeping veterans and active military up-to-date with UA news that might affect veterans and their families.
Gordon also sees an opportunity for the RSO to "stand up to any injustices that the university's policies might direct toward the group" and to find funding for and administer veteran-directed student scholarships, he said.
Before he joined the military, UA undergraduate senior Emile Phaneuf - majoring in International Relations and Latin American Studies - said he wanted to go to college but wasn't prepared directly out of high school.
"I had neither the finances to fund my schooling nor the mindset that is required to do well in an academic environment," Phaneuf said. "But somewhere between spending two years in East Asia and hundreds of hours in [Mission Oriented Protective Posture] gear, I found that I was more than prepared for college.
"With the mindset that I gained in the military, I was able to go on to achieve a high GPA, win academic and journalistic awards, and even gain a scholarship to fund a yearlong study abroad in Brazil," he said.
As Phaneuf began to meet more veterans on campus, he said he began to realize that veterans are among some of the brightest, hardest working and most well-rounded students at the UA.
"I, and most UA vets, are constantly on a mission to set a contagious positive attitude in our classes and on campus. We strive to be an asset to this fine university and the community," Phaneuf said. "Veterans from all branches of the Armed Forces, including myself, are in the midst of making veteran history on campus. We're forming an RSO to help vets make that transition into civilian life go a lot smoother.
"The individual needs of each vet after leaving military service vary vastly," he said. "We are going to make sure that those needs are met. We've got a lot of great ideas and are looking for funding to start several new programs. The next few weeks are going to be very exciting."
Gordon also sees an opportunity for the RSO to "stand up to any injustices that the university's policies might direct toward the group" and to find funding for and administer veteran-directed student scholarships, he said.
Before he joined the military, UA undergraduate senior Emile Phaneuf - majoring in International Relations and Latin American Studies - said he wanted to go to college but wasn't prepared directly out of high school.
"I had neither the finances to fund my schooling nor the mindset that is required to do well in an academic environment," Phaneuf said. "But somewhere between spending two years in East Asia and hundreds of hours in [Mission Oriented Protective Posture] gear, I found that I was more than prepared for college.
"With the mindset that I gained in the military, I was able to go on to achieve a high GPA, win academic and journalistic awards, and even gain a scholarship to fund a yearlong study abroad in Brazil," he said.
As Phaneuf began to meet more veterans on campus, he said he began to realize that veterans are among some of the brightest, hardest working and most well-rounded students at the UA.
"I, and most UA vets, are constantly on a mission to set a contagious positive attitude in our classes and on campus. We strive to be an asset to this fine university and the community," Phaneuf said. "Veterans from all branches of the Armed Forces, including myself, are in the midst of making veteran history on campus. We're forming an RSO to help vets make that transition into civilian life go a lot smoother.
"The individual needs of each vet after leaving military service vary vastly," he said. "We are going to make sure that those needs are met. We've got a lot of great ideas and are looking for funding to start several new programs. The next few weeks are going to be very exciting."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Brian
posted 4/09/08 @ 6:22 PM CST
MPPOC could do a better job reaching out to Veteran's on campus. I didn't hear about the luncheon or this RSO until reading this article. Perhaps they can collect email addresses from the UA Veteran Affairs office for those who are enrolled using the GI bill or have enrolled noting they are a veteran. (Continued…)
derekgordon
Derek Gordon
posted 4/09/08 @ 10:15 PM CST
Brian, I'm glad you commented as several others suggested the same. It's worth noting that this was a followup article to one posted solely online a few days ago. (Continued…)
Bill Oliver
posted 4/09/08 @ 11:04 PM CST
Brian,
Thanks for the heads up... It was sure not our intention of missing anyone; however, as stated by Derek, we are working out the bugs. We need the support of all the vets and military on campus. (Continued…)
Derek Gordon
posted 4/16/08 @ 3:14 PM CST
The organizations website is finally up and running. Well, maybe not "finally" as it was setup and developed within a days time, but nonetheless it is operational! Everyone have a look and see what we are all about. (Continued…)
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