They look a bit older and seem more composed. They think more maturely than most of their peers. And they all claim to have an extraordinary level of discipline. Our classmates who have served in the United States military are not your typical Dartmouth students.
Kevin Price '14, for example, was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army for seven years before coming to Dartmouth, serving in a light airborne infantry platoon as a demolition specialist, designated marksman and squad leader in a third ranger batallion. Here in Hanover, the 29-year-old attends class, studies in the library and spends time with his wife and two kids.
"My title is Kevin these days," he said, after mentioning that he replied to Staff Sergeant Price most often during his time in the military.
"I didn't see myself being a typical Dartmouth freshman," he said, a valid pre-Dartmouth perspective given that his familial responsibilities are foreign to most college students.
Apart from his personal responsibilities, Price enjoys getting together with the other veterans on campus.
"It's definitely nice to have a group of vets [so that] every now and then you can let your guard down," Price said.
The veteran community at Dartmouth is "exclusive" insofar that one must have served in the military to belong, but in no way do members claim to exclude themselves from Dartmouth life. Indeed, the title of "veteran" does clump a slew of unique men and women together under one campus banner, but not necessarily in a bad way. Though their individual experiences are as diverse as the rest of campus culture, veterans depend on one another to share fears and insecurities of transitioning into a new environment, student veterans interviewed by The Mirror said.
Former Marine Ryan West '14 said that at times he has felt removed from other Dartmouth students because of his military experiences. Now 24, West served as an E-5, or Marine sergeant, in the first reconnasaince batallion based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.
"I definitely feel comfortable with [other veterans] because we do have a little bit more in common," West said.
That said, he currently considers himself a civilian and relies more on his class year than his former Marine status to identify himself, West said.
"I'm not disposed to labeling myself just as a Marine," he said. "While it was a very important experience that has had a great deal of influence on my attitude and behavior, I won't be wearing a high and tight haircut for the rest of my days."
Brendan Kelly '13 began his freshman year at Dartmouth just a month after ending his four-year service in the United States Marine Corps, where he as a corporal he served as a rifleman in Iraq and a squad leader in Afghanistan.
Although Kelly, 24, now proudly identifies himself first and foremost as a '13, he was unsure of how he would be viewed by his peers upon entering Dartmouth.
"Age was definitely one of the big factors," he said. "I guess it's all a matter of perception though everyone else seemed like kids compared to what I was used to."
Due to his self-diagnosed "age insecurities," Kelly held steadfast to the undergraduate veteran community at Dartmouth, he said.
"Initially, just having a veteran community here was really important for me to be able to make the transition to Dartmouth at all," he said.
As a result of his dedication to the veterans community, Kelly became the Vice President of the Dartmouth Undergraduate Veteran Association for his first two years at the College.
"Having a group helped me deal with [my age insecurities], get out of my comfort zone a little bit and participate more in the Dartmouth community," he said.
Now a member of both Beta Alpha Omega fraternity and the men's rugby team, Kelly said he feels comfortable and fully integrated into the Dartmouth community. He said that although he would more often identify himself as a Beta or a rugby player, his military past is still a large part of his identity.
Feeling more comfortable in their roles as Dartmouth students, many veterans find it important to share their own stories with other students.
"One of the reasons we are here, as veterans, is to provide a different outlook, a different perspective on an undergraduate experience," West said.
