Honoring Our Campus Veterans

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 11, 2021) — For more than 100 years, Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) offers an opportunity for those across the United States to come together to honor those who have served in the U.S. military, and show gratitude for their service and sacrifice.

Today, the University of Kentucky is honoring its own veterans, which include hundreds of students, faculty and staff.

“Each year on Nov. 11, we pay tribute to all American veterans and express our deep appreciation for their love of country and willingness to sacrifice,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “At the University of Kentucky, our faculty, staff and student veterans enrich the lives of those around them and contribute to our community in profound ways. Our veterans are integral members of the UK family, and we are proud to celebrate and honor their service.”

The university will honor its campus veterans at the annual campus Veterans Day celebration 11:30 a.m. today in the Gatton Student Center Harris Ballroom, and on Zoom for those who cannot attend in person. The entire campus community is invited. Read more about today's celebration here.

The UK Air Force ROTC is also honoring veterans this week through multiple events. This past weekend, Air Force ROTC (from both UK and University of Tennessee) honored prisoners of war and those missing in action (POW/MIA) by completing a 5K run on campus. They ended the 5k with running the game ball onto the field for the UK vs. Tennessee football game. Air Force ROTC cadets also volunteered for the 2021 Veterans Affairs 5K on Nov. 7, and are volunteering for Lexington’s Week of Valor events going on this week. One Air Force ROTC cadre member — Staff Sgt. Libby Sheets — will be recognized at the UK women’s basketball game this evening for the #poWEr of Women campaign. Air Force ROTC will also have an all-female color guard of both UK Army and Air Force ROTC cadets at the game.

This past week, UKNow reached out to several campus veterans to learn a little more about them, their service and how their experience has influenced their UK experience. You can read more about them in the sections below. 

April Bridenbecker, program coordinator in the UK Saha Cardiovascular Research Center

Army National Guard – specialist (eight years).

What inspired you to serve? My dad served in the Army for four years, and I would say that he was my inspiration. As a young teen, I had a desire to go into the military. I wanted to serve our country in whatever capacity I could, so I joined right out of high school. 

How has your military experience benefited your career as a health care support staff? I learned many things in the military, but discipline would be what I took away that has benefited me most in my career. 

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Caitlin N. Brown, senior, UK College of Social Work

U.S. Navy Seabees, construction electrician second class (E-5). Length of Service: six years and eight months.

What inspired you to serve? I wanted to travel, leave my home situation and find a way to pay for school that did not include student loans. I did not know what career path to follow and I wanted to be tested outside of my comfort zone. I chose a construction field because the skills I would learn there I knew would be valuable if I ever got out of the service.

How has your military experience influenced your career/experience at UK? I grew up in the military. I joined when I was 19, and turned 20 just before I went to boot camp. My life was influenced and shaped by travel, language, diversity and trauma. I have been able to bring my experience to my current career path. Pursing a social work career post military enlistment has allowed me to bring life experience to the field. It has benefited me as an older student because I am much more focused and have more experience in diverse populations.

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Joseph A. “Tony” Colella, UK assistant vice president of Enrollment Management

United States Air Force. Served as an enlisted airman from 1989 to 2002 obtaining the rank of technical sergeant. Served as a commissioned officer from 2002 to 2013 obtaining the rank of major.

What inspired you to serve? Upon graduating high school I was not quite prepared to pursue a college degree and higher learning. My parents encouraged me to enter the Air Force and I enlisted at the age of 17, following in the steps of my father’s military service.

How has your military experience influenced your career/experience at UK? I credit the leadership, communication skills, attention to detail and professionalism that I obtained through my military career as key character traits that have benefited me greatly in my role at the University of Kentucky.  As a military leader I learned quickly that those airmen who are accomplishing the Air Force mission on a daily basis are the most critical resource on a military installation. In my role in Enrollment Management this philosophy is no different. The staff in Enrollment Management amaze me each and every day. I continue to strive to lead by example and let those UK staff that I interact with know that their incredible efforts, student first approach and dedication to student success is what makes our university such a special place to call “home.”

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Tim Evans, Pharm.D,  clinical staff pharmacist at UK

US Army Reserve with 30 years of service with the rank of colonel. I joined the Army Reserve after graduation from the UK College of Pharmacy in 1985. I served as a pharmacy officer, deploying to the Persian Gulf in 1990 in support of Operation Desert Storm. Later in my career, I served as a battalion commander of Combat Support Hospitals, leading a hospital unit during war training exercises in the U.S., with a deployment to Korea in 2010.

What inspired you to serve? I was inspired to serve by my father’s service in WWII and other family members’ military service.

How has your military experience benefited your career as a health care provider? By serving in the Army Reserve, I had a military career while living and practicing pharmacy in my community. During my Army experience I received training that benefited my civilian career in staff operations, personnel management, leadership and decision making.

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Tyler Gayheart, Ph.D., executive director, Enterprise Salesforce Operations

United States Marine Corps, E-5 sargent. Enlisted from 2002-2006. One combat tour in Afghanistan. Served in Forward Operating Base Asadabad, Afghanistan.

What inspired you to serve? My inspiration to enlist in the United States Marine Corps centered around the opportunity to serve our country. 

How has your military experience influenced your career/experience at UK? On many occasions my military experience prepared me to be a better and more disciplined student and scholar. It also equipped me early-on with the leadership skills in order to lead and develop teams at the university level.

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Brad Harrington, director of special initiatives, UK Office of Residence Life

United States Army Adjutant General Corps officer-lieutenant colonel. 23 years total service, with one 15 month tour (Kuwait/Iraq) — Operation Iraqi Freedom (June 2006-Aug 2007).

What inspired you to serve? My family has a long history of U.S. military service and I wanted to continue that legacy of family service in support of this great nation.     

How has your military experience influenced your career/experience at UK? I feel that my experiences in the military have uniquely shaped the person I am today. The military instilled in me the importance of teamwork, communication, discipline, accountability and dedication to task completion — all of which I draw upon in my current career at UK.

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Philipp J. Kraemer, Ph.D., Chellgren Endowed Chair for Undergraduate Excellence and professor of psychology

U.S. Marine Corps, corporal (E-4) for two years (one tour).

What inspired you to serve? I was without direction upon graduating from high school and a group of my friends thought the Marine Corps would “be cool.”

How has your military experience influenced your career/experience at UK? Despite the trauma, the experience eventually gave me the maturity, self-confidence and discipline to pursue a productive life. I cannot imagine choosing a career as a university professor without my Marine Corps experience.

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Daniel Lane, senior, in the UK Gatton College of Business and Economics

U.S. Navy as an aviation machinist mate. My responsibilities were focused on aircraft engines, fuel systems and their associated accessory systems. While I worked on a variety of aircraft, my specialization was on the F/A-18 Hornet. I served a 20 year career, including five deployments aboard aircraft carriers and one deployment to Kuwait. While the deployments can be arduous, it allows a great chance to travel and see the world.

What inspired you to serve? I come from a family with a strong military background. My father completed a 20-year Naval career, as well as several other members who completed four-year terms in the various services. I chose the Navy partly because of seeing it while growing up, and I was always fascinated with aircraft landing on a ship.  

How has your military experience influenced your career/experience at UK? The military instills self-discipline, striving for excellence and focusing on attention to detail. These traits directly transfer into college work. Another aspect of the military experience directly transferring into the UK experience is interacting with people from all different backgrounds. Being comfortable with others greatly assists interacting with the instructor and peers in class.

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Laura Marie Letellier, faculty, College of Engineering Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and First-Year Engineering Program

Served five years on active duty, four years in ROTC and 11 years in the Naval Reserve (U.S. Naval Reserve - midshipman - Navy ROTC, Purdue University 1972-1977; U.S. Navy - ensign to lieutenant - Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program, 1977-1982; U.S. Naval Reserve - lieutenant to lieutenant commander - primarily in Amphibious Warfare 1982-1993).

What inspired you to serve? Part of it was I needed a way to pay for college. Part of it was the desire for a profession that would let me get out on the water. My father and grandfather were both into sailing and they taught me how to handle a sailboat at a young age. Although I never was a permanent member of a ship's crew, I did spend substantial time on board several types of ships and amphibious craft as part of my duties and thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel privileged to have been able to put on my khakis, get underway and lead U.S. Navy personnel in conducting our various missions.

How has your military experience influenced your career/experience at UK? Being able to work with people who have a wide range of backgrounds; mission-oriented focus in everything that I do; and tools for pushing through challenges to achieve our goals.

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Maggie Luoma, associate department administrator, UK HealthCare

United States Marine Corps/corporal (four years, one tour).

What inspired you to serve? I was in the unusual circumstance of being a Marine wife prior to signing a contract in the Marine Corps. The state in which I was living had terminated their in-state tuition for spouses of military members. So we decided to become a double military family to finance school.  

How has your military experience benefited your career as a health care support staff? In 1998 I worked for what at the time was Marine Security Guard Battalion. We were the Headquarters Company and provided administrative, training and other assistance to those that protect the American embassies and worked tightly with the Department of State to do so. On my way to work one morning, the news came through that two of our embassies had been bombed in a terrorist attack. I spent more than two months pulling together and answering questions, making sure that our personnel were taken care of and as safe as they could be and assuring that protocols were being followed concerning reporting. This experience has prepared me for working in health care in many ways. By having exceptional leadership during this time, I learned being a leader. I gained more empathy for those that could not help themselves. I gained a sense realizing that there are sometimes instances in which doing the right thing and protecting the rights of those who cannot protect themselves, although it may not be the popular thing to do. This has served me well and given me invaluable skills to work in an administrative role at UK HealthCare.

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Harry Kemwer Dudley Smith, senior, College of Engineering, and utilities systems analyst in UK Utilities and Energy Management

U.S. Navy / E-5 anti-submarine warfare tactical coordinator – IUSS master analyst. Five years (2010-2015): Multiple West Pacific/Indian Ocean tours on T-AGOS class vessels.

What inspired you to serve? I have a firm belief that all people capable should serve their country and fellow humans in some capacity whether it be through AmeriCorps, military, Peace Corps or other volunteer organizations. Service to others is integral to the continuity of our republic. My family has a rich history of military service and as the oldest male I knew that service would leave an impression on my younger siblings which would inspire them to do good work.

How has your military experience influenced your career/experience at UK? As an IUSS master analyst I was trained in a variety of capacities towards analyzing large volumes of data and making strategic and tactical decisions. I can bring those skills to the table as a utility systems analyst which empowers me to embody the Utilities and Energy Management mission statement. There are plenty of leadership opportunities that allow my past experiences to help drive decisions and foster an environment on campus based around mutual respect, compassion and cooperation. Ubi Concordia, Ibi Victoria.

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Veterans Resource Center

The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) at UK — housed in the Office for Student Success — offers a team of knowledgeable staff ranging from VA work-study students, a certification officer and a Veterans Success on Campus (VSOC) team member, all to assist students and families along the way to a degree at the University of Kentucky. The student organization, Student Veterans Association, is an opportunity for students to connect, as well. VRC also has partnerships with other campus partners to introduce and make available additional resources to veteran/military-connected students through drop-ins and programming. In addition, the VRC offers space for students to come and study, a computer lab and a break room to relax and congregate. For more information about the VRC, visit www.uky.edu/veterans/ or call 859-257-1148.