CONNECTIONS
Spring 2021
2 | BO O K L ET TI TL E
The University of Nebraska at Omaha has a proud tradition of serving military-connected students and their families in partnership with the greater Omaha community and we continue to make that commitment everyday in all that we do. We are only beginning to understand the full scope of the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of our military-connected students, but we are steadfast in our dedication to meeting any challenges we face together with our partner offices across UNO, community partners, and corporate sponsors. We do what we do together. Despite the challenges we have all faced over this past year, we also want to acknowledge the unbelievable resilience of our military-connected community. Our students have persevered in their academic studies - making progress toward graduation - and faculty and staff have learned and adapted to the circumstances to support that academic progress in new and innovative ways. I am proud of our community and I am proud to be a Maverick. Together we will creatively and dynamically build our future, drawing on our proud past, but aspiring to the possibilities and potentialities that lie ahead. Rebecca Hannagan, PhD Director, Office of Military and Veteran Services Alumna, Master of Science in Political Science 2003
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AMILITARY-CONNECTEDCOMMUNITY Our focus at UNO is our students: their success is at the forefront of everything we do. When we think about what being a Military Friendly University means, or reflecting on our past years of achieving a top Best for Vets ranking, it goes beyond assisting students with VA benefits or making sure they get connected with all the services and opportunities UNO has to offer. What the Military Friendly designation really means to us is that we are a real community that understands and appreciates the sacrifice of service from our students, staff and faculty members who have served, are serving, or are military family members. This military-connected community includes students, faculty and staff, as well as our partners in the community that help us do what we do. The Office of Military and Veteran Services is excited to share the stories in the following pages about the people that make this community what it is. This publication is part of our mission to educate, engage, and empower on all matters related to military-connected students at UNO.
5.5%
increase in new military connected students in fall 2020 from fall 2019
1,738
military connected students enrolled at UNO fall 2020
836
military connected students using VA benefits at UNO fall 2020
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NOTABLEALUMNI The University of Nebraska at Omaha currently serves nearly 1600 military connected students. Some notable alumni also have military connections.
Former US Secretar y of Defense Chuck Hagel Former United States Senator from Nebraska and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel volunteered to serve in the Army during the Vietnam War. Hagel was awarded two Purple Hearts, an Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and the Combat Infantry Badge. He graduated from UNO with a BA in History.
General James P. Mullins Veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Retired Air Force General James P. Mullins graduated from UNO with a BA in Business Administration in 1964. Among his many commendations is the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded to persons who distinguish themselves by single acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement while in aerial flight.
General Johnnie E. Wilson General Johnnie E. Wilson served 39 years in the Army, as both enlisted and as an officer. He was inducted into the Ordnance Hall of Fame for his positive, significant contribution to the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps. He earned a BA in Business Administration from UNO in 1973 and was the president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
General Br yce Poe II General Bryce Poe II fought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, with 213 combat mission hours flown in Vietnam alone. He served 35 years in the Air Force. He earned a MA in History from UNO 1964.
Nicole Cooper, combat veteran and UNO alumna of the MBA program in the College of Business Administration, currently works as the Assistant Controller for UNO.
NICOLECOOPER: COMBATVETERAN, ALUMNA& UNOSTAFF Q: We use the words "military-connected" when referring to all the students we serve through our office here at UNO. When you hear "military-connected" what does it mean to you? A: To me this means a family, or a communit y of people who have ser ved. There is this automatic comrader y, no mat ter where you go or what other differences may exist, there is just something that connect s all of us who have ser ved. I think because we have been through something, and so those of us who have chosen to ser ve share an understanding of what that means. That connection can bridge differences in age, culture, background and it is something that unifies people. Q: If you would want civilians to know something about you as a combat veteran, or about veterans generally, what would it be? A: Veterans are a tight-knit communit y. There is a work ethic that exist s and that comes from our militar y experience. We are leaders and have had unique leadership experience and know what it means to make decisions that impact people's lives. We embrace difference and this comes from that background of travel and being with so many different people, meeting people from all over the world and working together. It's really an asset. It absolutely shaped my world perspective and made me who I am today. Being a veteran is such a core par t of me.
No matter where you go or what other differences may exist, there is just something that connects all of us who have served.
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Q: Tell me a little bit about your military background. A: I joined the National Guard when I was 17 to pay for college. I par ticipated in a split option program that allowed me to at tend basic training before my senior year of high school and then to complete advanced individual training after I graduated high school. I had no idea when I joined that so much of my ser vice would be ser ving on active dut y. When I was 19 years old I deployed to Iraq, ser ving in Camp Anaconda in Balad, and I came home from that deployment when I was 21. In Iraq, I ser ved in logistics, the G4 shop with the 29th Infantr y Brigade Combat Team in suppor t of Operation Iraqi Freedom. My second deployment was at Camp Buehring in Kuwait. This deployment was in a suppor t capacit y for convoy escor t teams who were helping missions that were going in and out of Iraq. It was interesting as I was assigned to a Cavalr y Squadron and was one of only three women among more than 600 men. After my first deployment I also worked full time under our Brigade Commander and had the oppor tunit y to par ticipate in a joint training exercise with the Marine Corp and the Japanese militar y in Osaka, Japan. Thinking back, it is amazing to me that I was so young when I joined the militar y ... I was just 17 years old and making a decision that completely changed my life and shapes such a big par t of me.
We embrace difference and this comes from that background of travel and being with so many different people, meeting people from all over the world and working together. It's really an asset.
Q: So you said you joined to pay for college. Were you able to do that? A: I was, yes. I earned both a bachelor ?s degree from UNL and my MBA from UNO and I only had to pay for the last por tion of my MBA. Being able to use VA benefit s was wonder ful and at UNO they suppor ted me as a veteran student by crafting my program of study to maximize the use of my benefit s. Having that suppor t while transitioning out of the militar y was huge! Q: What is your current role at UNO? A: I am the Assistant Controller in the Controller's Office, which is par t of the Business and Finance Depar tment. I work with an amazing team that really values who I am and that par t of me that comes from my militar y background. As an alumna of UNO, I feel so blessed that I have been able to come back to the organization and contribute to it through my work in the Controller's Office.
Nicole Cooper, combat veteran, at her graduation from the MBA program in the College of Business Administration at UNO.
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POW/MIAVIGIL On Friday, September 18th 2020, National POW/ MIA Recognition Day, a 24-hour vigil was held in UNO's Pep Bowl. Air Force and Army ROTC cadets participated in this joint event to honor and remember those who served and never returned home. Dr. Neal Grandgenett (on the left in the photo above), Marine veteran, is currently the Dr. George and Sally Haddix Community Chair of STEM Education in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences at UNO.
NEALGRANDGENETT: MARINE VETERAN& UNOFACULTY Q: We use the words "military-connected" when referring to all the students we serve through our office here at UNO. When you hear "military-connected" what does it mean to you?
SEPTEMBER11 MEMORIALSTAIRCLIMB Air Force and Army ROTC cadets participated in an early morning stair climb in memory of the first responders that lost their lives on September 11. Before the sun was even out, the cadets climbed the equivalent of 110 flights of stairs - the number the first responders would have climbed in the World Trade Center 19 years ago.
A: Great question! I was in the Marine Corps and ser ved on a Navy installation as par t of a Marine Securit y Unit, so for me it is a communit y. There were Marines and sailors in that environment, but there were also civilians who worked there in addition to the families. That time for me was really the beginning of a journey that is fundamentally about citizenship. The word "citizen" is a special term - it is about being par t of something to which you receive benefit s but also owe something. The militar y personnel give something up when they ser ve, but spouses and children give up so much too as do the civilians that work for the militar y. So, that communit y is a wide-net and it cer tainly needs to be to succeed. Q: If you would want civilians to know something about you as a combat veteran, or about veterans generally, what would it be? A: That today's militar y is highly trained and highly professional , much more so than is perceived by the general public. The network of those who make the militar y happen is much larger than people realize. What it takes to make bases work and to make "defense" happen is a wide group of citizens working together. It is a lesson in citizenship at it s best.
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Q: Tell me a little bit about your military background. A: In the Marine Corps I ser ved on a Naval weapons station and the unit I was in managed the operational securit y for the Navy. It was a functioning Marine Barracks and those are all over the world. Most people know that Marines provide the securit y at U.S. Embassy's, for example. I earned Sergeant and there was a lot of training and on-going professional development. People who do this kind of work in the Marine Corps are highly vet ted because this work can be highly stressful and excellent judgment is needed in addition to the more tactical skills t ypically required of a Marine. Q: What is your current role at UNO? A: I am the Dr. George and Sally Haddix Communit y Chair of STEM Education in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. In that role I help suppor t an inter-disciplinar y STEM environment on campus. I am currently also the Associate Director of the STEM TRAIL Center. My background is middle school mathematics teaching and then as a professor of STEM Education with a specialization in mathematics education. Q: Do you see a connection between your military service and your current role at UNO?
Neal Grandgenett, during his time in the Marine Corps.
That time for me was really the beginning of a journey that is fundamentally about citizenship.
A: Absolutely. At tention to detail was critical for what I did in the Marine Corps. Self-discipline and follow-through were also paramount. I learned how impor tant communication was and I frequently make personal connections between effective communication in the Marine Corps to effective communication in higher education while we deeply ser ve student s in our mission here.
ARMYROTCRANGERCHALLENGECOMPETITION& FALLFIELDTRAININGEXERCISE ARMY ROTC sent two teams to the Ranger Challenge at Camp Dodge, Iowa. The Ranger Challenge is a competition involving ruck marches, Physical Training tests, functional fitness, and other skill tests such as weapons training, land navigation, and so forth. The Fall Field Training Exercise (FTX) provided an opportunity for cadets to grow their leadership skills in a field environment.
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SARAHEDWARDS: MILITARYSPOUSE, OMVSRECEIVESESGR UNOFACULTY& ADMINISTRATOR PATRIOTAWARD
The Office of Military and Veteran Services Director, Rebecca Hannagan, was recognized for supporting U.S. National Guard and Reserve members this past summer with a Patriot Award from the Nebraska Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). ESGR, a Department of Defense program, seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. Hannagan was presented with the award during a virtual presentation by Ron Boro, a volunteer representing Nebraska ESGR. "The Patriot Award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding support and cooperation to their employees, who like the citizen warriors before them have answered their nation's call to serve," Boro said during the presentation. "Supportive supervisors are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation's Guard and Reserve units, and it's a pleasure for me to recognize Dr. Hannagan with this award." Hannagan, who assumed leadership of OMVSlast March, was nominated for the award for being highly supportive of her reserve component employee, Staff Sgt. Joe Froehner, a member of the Nebraska Air National Guard who was called up to help support COVID-19 response efforts across the state last summer.
Q: We use the words "military-connected" when referring to the students we serve through our office here at UNO. What do those words mean to you? A: My first thought is that this is a group that shares an appreciation for teamwork. People who have ser ved tend to work hard to achieve goals as well as exhibit a desire to be par t of something greater than any individual. Militar y connected people have different life experiences, such as having experienced geographic diversit y. I also think there is really something about that "we" that connect s a communit y and provides suppor t - again, there is an ethos of being connected to something greater than oneself. Q: Tell me a little bit about your particular military connection. A: I am a militar y spouse and being connected to that life allowed me to live on three different continent s and experience different cultures and ways of life. Q: What is your current role at UNO? A: I am the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Q: What is the relationship between your role and military-connected students at UNO? A: As a militar y spouse and teacher, I lived the experience of having teacher cer tification standards var y state by state and the hiring window only one month out of the year. Tr ying to navigate that career while having to frequently move was extremely difficult. I want to make our systems as transparent and easy to navigate as possible. Q: If there were something you would want people to know who do not have a military connection, what would it be? A: While there is a shared experience in this communit y, it is different for ever yone. Some people look back with awe on their time in ser vice and other people are just glad to be done and want to move on with their life. I would invite people without a militar y background to acknowledge the variet y of lived experiences and honor people's choices to create their own meaning relative to their ser vice.
There is an ethos of being connected to something greater than oneself. The award ceremony was conducted via Zoom during the COVID-19 shutdown.
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LACEYDUDASH: VETERAN& UNOSTAFF 25% of ou r m ilit ar y-con n ect ed st u den t popu lat ion ar e Vet er an s
15% of ou r m ilit ar y-con n ect ed st u den t popu lat ion ar e Act ive Du t y m ilit ar y
Dr. Sarah Edwards is a military spouse and the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affiars at UNO.
I would invite people without a military background to acknowledge the variety of lived experiences and honor people's choices to create their own meaning relative to their service.
7% of ou r m ilit ar y-con n ect ed st u den t popu lat ion ser ve in t h e Nat ion al Gu ar d or Reser ves
We sat down with Lacey Dudash, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Navy Veteran to learn about her military connection and what veterans bring to the workplace. I was born and raised in Alaska. I joined the Navy in 2006 and served 5 years - in Japan for 3 years then Mississippi. I went to school in Louisiana and now live here in Nebraska. I was able to get my education completely paid for and am ecstatic I made the choice I did. If I had not joined the Navy I would have had a huge debt. I completed an Associates degree while in the Navy so was able to get that head start on my BA. There is a strong work ethic and a directness that veterans bring to the workplace. We are all about getting things done. The way I lead my team is that mindset of solving problems and working hard. Some civilians may misinterpret that directness as brash, but it isn't rudeness. We are focused on mission success and come from a place where lives could be at stake.
6% of ou r m ilit ar y-con n ect ed st u den t popu lat ion ar e m ilit ar y spou ses
47% of ou r m ilit ar y-con n ect ed st u den t popu lat ion ar e depen den t s
Lacey Dudash is a Navy Veteran and the Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions.
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WILLJACKSON: STUDENT, ROTC CADET& ARMY RESERVES We sat down with Will Jackson, UNO junior political science major, Army ROTC Cadet and member of the Army reserves to learn about student life with an active military affiliation.
There are a lot of veterans at UNO, but there are also people who are ser ving now in the reser ves, the National Guard, and active dut y militar y as well as ROTC cadet s. Cadet s don't yet have that militar y experience but they are par t of that communit y that has a militar y connection. It is definitely a brotherhood and a sisterhood and helping that family, keeping in touch and suppor ting each other, that is what it is all about. People who ser ve give up a lot. They work hard and have truly sacrificed something for this countr y. I am hopeful that civilians can respect that difference between those who ser ve and those who have not made that choice, but I also want ever yone to recognize that there is a lot we share. As student s at UNO we are here to get our education and bet ter our lives. We have the same goals as other student s. (continued on next page)
Dr. Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, Professor of Political Science and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success at UNO, is a proud Navy veteran.
JONATHANBENJAMIN-ALVARADO: NAVYVETERAN, UNOFACULTY& ADMINISTRATOR Q: We use the words "military-connected" when referring to all the students we serve through our office here at UNO. When you hear "military-connected" what does it mean to you? A: I think it means we have both an understanding of and a sensitivit y to the lived experiences of all those who have ser ved, whether they be active dut y, veterans, reser ves, National Guard, and also of family members who have a ver y real experience of the life of ser vice. It's the whole ethos of Student Success here at UNO - we take into account the whole person. When OMVS was founded, that was the idea behind it. Q: Tell me a little bit about your military background. A: I am a Navy veteran. The fur ther away I get from that experience the prouder I am for having ser ved. I hope I did so with distinction. I want to honor all those who came after me. My ser vice really is par t of who I am. Militar y ser vice was a catalyst for me to go on to ser ve in the public arena. Q: What is your current role at UNO? A: I am the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success and Professor of Political Science.
Military service was a catalyst for me to go on to serve in the public arena.
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Q: What is the relationship between your role and military-connected students at UNO? A: I hope I ser ve that communit y as an ally and a beacon or a horizon point that people can aspire to. I was Navy enlisted and used my GI Bill to get an undergraduate education, then a PhD, and now have returned to ser vice as a campus and communit y leader. When I was a student at UCLA someone asked me, "What do you need money for, you don't have to pay for school?" And I thought, well sure, but I earned that benefit. I gave six years of my life. It isn't free money for school. So, given my experiences I want to be an ally and a suppor ter. People know I am here and I'll pick up the phone. I'm a good shipmate. If there is something that needs to be done, I'm happy to help. In higher education and my role here at UNO, that's how I see myself.
We need to integrate military-connected students into the life-blood of the university. I believe universities can do a better job integrating this tremendous asset.
Q: If you would want civilians to know something about you as a veteran, or about veterans generally, what would it be? A: Unlike almost ever y other segment of societ y, those who have ser ved - veterans, guard, reser ve, active dut y - they understand what that sacrifice of ser vice means. Not many people across the broader societ y really understand that sacrifice. These student s bring knowledge and understanding of what ser vice means that is lost on most people. Universities need to understand the value of these student s and what they bring to our communities. We need to integrate militar y-connected student s in to the life-blood of the universit y. I believe universities can do a bet ter job integrating this tremendous asset. We can all learn from and benefit from the lived realit y of people whose experience is a true understanding of the right s and responsibilities of citizenship.
Will Jackson, current UNO Student, Army ROTC cadet and member of the Army Reserves, pictured here with his parents.
Conversation with Will Jackson, continued from previous page. I enlisted in 2019 into the Army reser ves when I was a sophomore at UNO because I wanted to tr y it out. When I realized this is what I want to do for a career, I contacted ROTC and got to be in the program as a cadet but continue in the reser ves. I go to drill once a month but am learning how to be an officer. I will go active dut y next year as an infantr yman. The SMP program I am in is great - I highly recommend it. Managing school, drill, and the ROTC program is a commitment, but I have found that ROTC provides the time and suppor t to be successful - it is definitely that you are a student first. I talk to my professors about what I am doing and they are completely suppor tive and think it s great. There are some amazing professors at UNO - one I had was 30 years in ser vice and we talked about ROTC a lot.
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SPACEFORCE: WHATISIT,AND HOWDOI JOIN? On December 21st, 2019, the United States Space Force (USSF) became the sixth branch of the U.S armed forces. The Space Force is an independent military within the Department of the Air Force, similarly to how the U.S. Marine Corps is its own military branch within the Department of the Navy. Air Force ROTC has been identified as one of three sources of accession for new U.S. Space Force officers. Air Force ROTC cadets will apply for their preferred jobs typically in the junior year, and depending on selection they will commission into either the Air Force or Space Force. For more info: unoafrotc@unomaha.edu
Javier Correa, Marine veteran and former Army ROTC cadet and UNO alumni, currently serves in the United States Army as a 2nd Lietenant, Ordnance .
JAVIERCORREA: MARINEVETERAN, FORMERROTCCADET, UNOALUMNUS & ARMYOFFICER Q: We use the words "military-connected" when referring to all the students we serve through our office here at UNO. When you hear "military-connected" what does it mean to you? A: I think of ever yone: active dut y, reser ves, veterans, National Guard, ROTC, but also militar y families along with all those others. Q: If you would want civilians to know something about you as a combat veteran, or about veterans generally, what would it be? A: With veterans in general, there is this cultural phenomenon of saying "thank you for your ser vice." I will tell you that there is apprehension about that from veterans because it comes across like people think they have to say it, but it is not necessarily genuine. Maybe a bet ter understanding of ser vice could result in saying something else, like "thank you for your sacrifice," or bet ter yet asking a question.
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I would love to see us move away from that "thank you for your ser vice" and have it more personal and about the individual, that has more meaning. Maybe acknowledge that deployment s meant you had to be away from your wife and kids for years at a time. We are at the tail end of 20 years of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the American public is largely unaware of the details, both of the wars and the lives of those who have fought them. Q: Tell me a little bit about your military background. A: I grew up in an Air Force family. My father retired in 1997 and was stationed at Offut t Air Force Base at that time, so we were a militar y family. I joined the Marine Corps in 2007 after high school. I was friends with a group of guys that were ver y competitive and into competitive spor t s and we all wanted that ultimate challenge, so we joined the Marine Corps. I did six years and was trained as a helicopter mechanic. Life took a turn and because I was going to get married I made the decision not to re-enlist, but I went into the Army Reser ves because I wanted to get my education. This was in 2012 and it was per fect for my life because I was newly married and a college student. I eventually came to UNO and that is where I decided to do ROTC. It was actually a guy I worked with when I was in the reser ves that told me about ROTC. There were preconceived ideas about doing it as someone who had already done six years of active dut y, but he convinced me to just focus on the goal: to get the degree, get my commission, and become a leader. Q: You said you joined the Reserves / ROTC to pay for college, but you were also a veteran so how did you pay for college? A: I used the GI Bill to pay for school as well as the ROTC scholarship and then also used Army tuition assistance to pay for summer school. I am becoming the transition guy for the soldiers I work with. I tell them all about the SVA (Student Veterans of America), the JST (Joint Ser vices Transcript ) ... I am a huge proponent for all those things I used to get my education and my commission. All those connections I made at UNO. Q: What is your current role? A: When I commissioned I chose ordnance and ended up at Ft Bliss, TX. Word got around that I am a former Marine and former reser vist and so my commanding officer asked me to be the executive officer. I had the experience, I mean, I am a lit tle older and such, so I said yes. It is a unique set of circumstances as my commanding officer is now on paternit y leave, so here I am a new officer - a 2nd Lt - and filling in as Bat ter y Commander. I am definitely living my dream of being a leader.
We are at the tail end of 20 years of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the American public is largely unaware of the details, both of the wars and the lives of those who have fought them.
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ORIGINSOFDETACHMENT470 "THEWOLFPACK" In January 1951, school officials learned the University could submit a U.S. Air Force ROTC application ? but had only 11 days to do so. Administrators worked feverishly to gather the necessary information. J.E. Woods, university director of veteran?s information, took no chances and flew with the completed application directly to Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan then to Mitchell Field in New York. Within three days the application was in the Pentagon office with the national ROTC director. Air Force officers were sent later that month to inspect Omaha University and its facilities. Shortly after the inspection, President Bail received a telegram from Nebraska Senator Hugh Butler: "Municipal University of Omaha has been selected to receive a new Air Force ROTC unit ? Glad to furnish this information." One year later the university founded the nation?s first Angel Flight, a group of female students who supported the AFROTC unit and were involved in community service. It became a national organization, later named Silver Wings. Today the Detachment is a thriving part of our military-connected community at UNO.
Dr. Jim Harrold, faculty member in the School of Public Administration, is an Air Force veteran.
The lack of personal experience can often translate into a lack of understanding. This has created a kind of reverence for military service that borders on idolatry and that is not healthy ... Instead of objectifying all service members as heroes, civilians should instead take the time to get to know them.
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JIMHARROLD: AIRFORCEVETERAN& UNOFACULTYAND STAFFMEMBER Q: We use the words "military-connected" when referring to all the students we serve through our office here at UNO. When you hear "military-connected" what does it mean to you? A: I relate that to the whole spectrum - veterans, active dut y, Guard and reser ves, and family members. Family is a big par t of militar y life and we should not forget that. Q: Tell me a little bit about your military background. A: I ser ved in the Air Force for 26 years - entered in 1982 and retired in 2008. Even before that I had family connections. My dad and his three brothers all ser ved and fought in World War II. My grandfather, on my mother's side of the family, he fought in World War I. When my mom was young during the depression era, my grandfather answered the call and moved the family to Washington DC during WWI. All that family histor y resonated with me more and more during my own militar y experience. There was a time in America when it would have been unusual to meet someone who did not have a family member who had ser ved or was ser ving. Q: What is your current role at UNO? A: I am a facult y member in the School of Public Administration. I am also an advisor to the approximately 160 MPA (Master of Public Administration) student s at UNO. Q: If you would want civilians to know something about you as a combat veteran, or about veterans generally, what would it be? A: If you were walking down the street during the World War II era, it would've been impossible to meet someone without a militar y connection. That is no longer the case in America. I can't recall the number off the top of my head, but something like 8% of the adult population has ser ved, so it is now common not to know anyone who has ser ved. The much smaller percent of the population who has ser ved is the result of an all volunteer force, which is good, but the lack of personal experience can often translate into a lack of understanding. This has created a kind of reverence for militar y ser vice that borders on idolatr y and that is not healthy. What is healthy is recognizing that people join the militar y for ver y different reasons and that the militar y is a cross-section of American societ y. Instead of objectifying all ser vice members as heroes, civilians should instead take the time to get to know them. We should not assume. Get to know those who have ser ved, especially young veterans who have ser ved in the long war. Talk to them because that is the basis of real understanding that can begin to replace platitudes that can feel empt y to veterans.
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COMMUNITYPARTNERS MCCALLIE ASSOCIATES SPONSOR 13TH ANNUAL GOLF FORE THE TROOPS McCallie Associates, Inc. hosted it's 13th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Friday, October 2, 2020. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the weather cooperated and hundreds of supporters participated in the tournament that ultimately raised $10,500 for OMVS. These funds directly support students in the form of scholarships and hardship funds.
DIDYOUKNOW? Did you know that some members of the military are musicians, as in, that is their actual job in the military? Case in point, our very own Assistant Director of the Office of Military and Veteran Services, Kirsten Omoto ... but that's Sergeant Omoto to the members of the 35th Infantry Division Band of the Kansas Army National Guard. Sergeant Omoto was named Non-Commissioned Officer of the quarter in late 2020 and received an Army Commendation Medal for her technical expertise. Kirsten has been serving her community and fellow service members as an Army bandsman for over 12 years in the Nebraska and Kansas Army National Guard. Her military career has taken her across the country to perform for tens of thousands of audience members in a variety of settings - including inaugurations, welcome home and deployment ceremonies, parades and so on. Music in the military is a time-honored heritage that bridges the gap between the military and the community.
Officeof MilitaryandVeteranServices 117 MBSC military.unomaha.edu
6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE68182
402.554.2349
UNOvets@unomaha.edu
The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/ or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment. UCTEMP2020
Over the years, the tournament has raised a total of $105,000 and supported causes such as support for area veterans, Parkinson's Disease relief, and the support of military students at UNO. All of the players and sponsors are owed a tremendous debt of gratitude by all of us who work every day to ensure that military-connected students at UNO have the resources they need to be successful.
Save the Date: Aug 13, 2021 at Eagle Hills Golf Course.
George Wasenius, President, and Kathie Young, Director of Finance, of McCallie Associates, Inc. present the check for $10,500 to OMVS Director Rebecca Hannagan.