09-08-2011

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REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11 A D E C A D E L AT E R

THURSDAY September 8, 2011 Volume 97, Issue 8 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M

SDSU salutes war veterans

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INDEX:

ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

Antonio Zaragoza photo editor A decade at war The last decade has seen tumultuous times in the United States and around the world. The events of Sept. 11, 2001 have left an undeniable impression on the fabric of world society. In the months following the attacks, the nation’s defenses were mustered and mobilized, and troops were sent throughout the United States to safeguard precious, historical landmarks, bridges, dams and other strategic sites from further attacks.

responsibility for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Despite the massive effort to safeguard the security of the homeland, there were few in America and abroad who could begin to imagine what the next decade would bring regarding the scope of national defense, foreign policy and domestic issues that would stretch and tear at the fabric of this nation.

San Diego State’s military community In the last ten years, America’s military has grown to almost 3 million men and women. Roughly 1 percent of the U.S. population is serving in the armed

“It’s clear that veterans issues are a priority here on this campus and it will continue to be so. We need to further this program’s growth.” Elliot Hirshman, San Diego State president Military units were preparing for deployment and special forces were already on the ground in Afghanistan assisting the Northern Alliance in the battle against Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network, which claimed

forces today. Almost 5,000 American soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines have lost their lives in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Estimates of wounded personnel are reported to be at least 33,000 and many of these

troops will require medical attention, rehabilitation and recovery for years to come, if not for the rest of their lives. Many who manage to navigate enlistments and multiple deployments in hostile combat zones relatively unscathed will seek educational opportunities afforded to them by the veterans’ GI Bill. The educational benefits of the GI Bill allow for veterans to go to school while having partial or full tuition paid, in addition to receiving a monthly stipend to offset living costs. Recently, SDSU President Elliot Hirshman visited the Joan and Art Barron Veterans Center on campus to make an initial contact and gather current program information regarding student-veterans at SDSU. “It’s clear that veterans’ issues are a priority here on this campus and it will continue to be so,” Hirshman said to a group of students and staff members in the Veterans Center. “We need to see what’s working and what we need to further this program’s growth.” It is widely understood that former SDSU President Stephen L. Weber embraced veterans’ issues at SDSU, helping to create one of the largest military communities on any campus in the United States. SDSU has seen the growth of the veterans department go from a walk-up window in the registrar’s office to a fully funded veterans center complete with staff, conference room and lounge. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ “VetSuccess” counselor

is also on staff to help students with benefit issues and questions. At SDSU, veterans, dependents and ROTC students make up almost 10 percent of the student population. Almost 1,200 student-veterans, active duty and reservists account for the core “military” population. Nathaniel Donnelly, SDSU Veterans Coordinator and current president of the Student Veterans Organization, along with Veterans Center Director Joan Putnam, process and help the many veterans, dependents and active duty students as they navigate their way through the university that can sometimes seem like a hostile and foreign battlefield to some veterans. “It’s hard for people to understand the scope of what it means to be a veteran,” Donnelly said. “Many who have seen combat are emotionally and physically scarred, and many have husbands, wives and kids. “The age range is incredible and their individual needs vary from person to person, and we constantly need to be aware of all the factors that make up our veteran community.” The task of coordinating between the bureaucracy of the Veterans Administration and the university, while simultaneously providing the information necessary to help veterans draw benefits from college, is an immense task.

senior staff writer This weekend, many Americans will remember what took place 10 years ago early one morning in New York City. San Diego’s World Trade Center will join in remembering by hosting “Peace, Prosperity and Diversity Through Trade: A 9/11 Commemoration,” today from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier. The event will not only pay tribute to the lives lost on 9/11, but also focus on building a better future toward fostering global business and cooperation. The event required months of preparation and was made possible

with the help of interns such as San Diego State students Hope Beilma, Jennifer Hanke and Christina Harrison, who took on the challenging work underway at the WTC. The primary function of the San Diego World Trade Center is to assist local companies and organizations in doing business internationally. It also helps bring international businesses to San Diego, serving as an intermediary. Within the WTC are seven individual offices. From coordinating to showcasing new ideas to handling the event’s VIP accounts, each of the offices has been working independently on unique aspects of the event. The interns involved at the San Diego World Trade Center fought hard to get into one of these seven

“They allow me to utilize what I’m learning in school in a professional setting ... ” Hope Beilma, SDSU intern at San Diego WTC

OPINION

Chris Pocock reflects on the roads we’ve taken since the 9/11 attacks

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see SDSU Veterans on page 8

Interns work on tribute to heroes Hutton Marshall

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SPORTS

offices. The WTC accepts applications periodically, and during its last hiring period in July it received more than 150 applications. It interviewed 40 of those applicants and hired 14. They were quickly enveloped into the fast pace of the WTC, joining 31 others who are midway through their six-month internships in the building. Some stay on for a month, or longer if they’re invited to, because every person invited into this unpaid internship knows how valuable the experience gained is. “They allow me to utilize what I’m learning in school in a professional setting. You aren’t doing clerical work, they give you creative freedom,” said Hope Beilma, a San Diego

see Tribute on page 8

“Women scoffed at me, covering the eyes of their innocent children as my mustache waved through the wind to say hello while passing by on the street.” B A C K PA G E

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W E AT H E R : SUNNY HIGH: 91 LOW: 63 SUNSET: 7:04PM


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09-08-2011 by The Daily Aztec - Issuu