Our nation has a long tradition of honoring the men and women who serve in our armed forced. We understand the sacrifices made – and those that yet may be required – by hundreds of thousands of active-duty and retired military.
Support our troops, we say with enthusiasm, but no amount of warm feelings will take the place of action.
What does it mean to support our troops in a tangible way?
Mississippi State University provides a good example of that through its Center for America’s Veterans.
Monday, the center’s director, Brian Locke, shared what the MSU program is doing for veterans during a visit to the Starkville Rotary Club.
Located in Nusz Hall on the northern part of campus, the center is a 7,500 square foot facility that opened in 2016 and boasts a range of amenities for student veterans, including private study rooms, free copying and printing, a lounge and a multi-purpose room — all features for the largest population of student veterans or veteran family members of any university in the state, Locke said.
These accommodations are important because veterans often feel out of place on the typical college campus. Student veterans are, on average 10 to 12 years older than the student population and their life experiences in the military are far different than those of the young people who dominate campus life.
Their challenges are often unique, too. Many are married, often with children. They bare adult responsibilities that the average college student does not have to cope with.
Yet according to the university’s fall enrollment data, veterans make up 13 percent of the student body, a total of 2,810 students.
That MSU has chosen to recognize the special circumstances our veteran students face by devoting resources to aid them during their academic careers is a tangible means of putting words to action.
When veterans feel welcomed, when they feel accepted, when there is help to navigate some of their unique challenges, they are receiving the kind of support that matters most.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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