“This is My House” and Other Views from Student Veterans: 6 Things We Learned

A few of Westminster’s student-veterans, from left to right: Mark Chism ’15, Christi Fain, Bret Robertson ’16, Phillip Brownfield ’18, Bill Whitlow ’69, Brian Wright ’14, Ian Steffen ’15, and Chad Doebelin ’17.

In honor of Veterans Day, the Westminster History Club hosted a Q&A panel with some of our student veterans. This insightful event was a great opportunity for students to meet the veterans among them and for veterans to tell about their experiences in the military. Westminster is ranked #7 among all national liberal arts colleges on the Best Colleges for Veterans list, according to U.S. News & World Report.

6 things learned at today’s students-veteran panel

1. “Thank you for your service,” isn’t a worn out phrase to our veterans; they still like hearing it. However, they all agree that they didn’t join the military for the recognition or thanks.
2. One stereotype of veterans that does not always apply is that veterans are pro-war. Brendan Gehl ’18 said at the panel today: “Most of the anti-war people I’ve ever met were people I met in the military.”
3. Veterans used to love care packages while they were serving. Their most loved items?
   • Baby wipes
   • Beef Jerky
   • Kool Aid
   • Toothbrushes, toothpaste
   • AA and AAA batteries
   • Letters from home
4. While in the military, all our veterans agreed that they came to love their fellow servicemen and women as family. Bret Robertson ’16 says he still talks to the guys he served with.
   

   Bret Robertson ’16 is a military veteran and student-athlete, a member of the Blue Jays football team.

5. All the Westminster student veterans on our panel were glad to be at Westminster. Phillip Brownfield ’18 remarked that it was scary for him to come back to school after being out for six years. They love having the support of faculty and students here.
6. Special alumni guest Bill Whitlow ’69 shared about his experience serving during Vietnam and reminded how fortunate we all are that, today, we live in a country with a volunteer military service. “You had to be in the ROTC,” said Whitlow, describing his college years during the Vietnam War. “If you got bad grades, you knew you would be kicked out and sent to Vietnam.”

 According to Brian Wright ’14, the right to get an education – to better yourself – is key to what liberty means for him.

“This is my house,” Wright said, describing his view of the United States and the military’s role in upholding our freedoms. “It’s under my protection, and I will die for you.”

Members of the Veterans Day panel included the following Westminster College students:

• Brendan Gehl, an Army Infantry Sergeant from Columbia, MO  who served in Iraq;
• Andrew Moore, a Navy Fire Control Technician from Fulton, MO who served aboard the USS Bremerton;
• Chad Doebelin, Navy Boatswain’s Mate Petty Officer from Fulton, MO who did three deployments to support Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom;
• Ian Steffen, an Army Sergeant from St. Louis, MO who is a signals intelligence analyst;
• Bret Robertson, an Army Infantry Corporal from California, MO who was deployed in Iraq;
• Mark Chism, a Navy operations and surface warfare specialist from Fulton, MO who served in the Philippines and Thailand;
• Phillip Brownfield, an Army infantry mortarman from California, MO who did a year’s deployment in Afghanistan; and
• Brian Wright from Fulton, MO, who was in the Army with deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq and is a member of the Missouri National Guard.

To our veterans, our currently enlisted troops, and to those who participated in this panel: We recognize and deeply appreciate your sacrifice. 

Thank you.

PJ Brownfield and Andrew Moore share their military experiences during the Veterans Day panel at Westminster.