Editorial: USD support for troops should be year-round
Correction at 2:14 p.m.: The United States is involved in the military intervention against ISIL, which is part of The War on Terror.
Last weekend the Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC) hosted its first Remember Everyone Deployed (RED) 5K Run to support USD students and faculty on deployment.
While there was good turnout for the first-time event, the USD community should think about veterans and service members on campus more often.
They tend to be an afterthought.
As of last month, however, Business Insider reported that just under 200,000 US troops are currently deployed across the world.
One USD faculty member is currently deployed and four more students and faculty members will be deployed in the fall.
Not only should these courageous Coyotes be supported, but also noticed and celebrated on campus.
The RED Run did a good job of bringing attention to veterans, but many students are unaware of all that the SVRC does. They aren’t just a resource for veterans, but also for their dependents, which can be very helpful if someone’s loved one is deployed.
They offer counseling services and a supportive community. Why aren’t they being celebrated for all the great work they do?
It’s refreshing to see the flags the Veterans Club put up for the 5K on campus. While there’s much debate about where a permanent flag pole should go, it’s something that should be discussed and implemented. Veterans are a population on campus that’s underrepresented in the community.
The money earned from the RED Run will go towards sending the troops care packages. This is one way USD can show its support and make the troops feel that connection back home. It shows that their communities are thinking of them and wishing them a safe return.
The RED 5K Run was what this campus needed to bring attention to an underrepresented group. When students and faculty return in the fall, they need to remember the SVRC and all the work they do.
Students and faculty should rally together to advocate for this group and give them the support they deserve.
