Heroes walk Hillsdale’s halls. They eat the same pizza at lunch, use the same classrooms, and see the same flag flying over campus day in and day out.
They know better than anyone what “strength rejoices in the challenge” and “pursuing truth, defending liberty” mean. They have pursued it in sweat. They have defended it in blood. And they have rejoiced in the challenge.
They mostly prefer to stay out of the way. They don’t like talking about themselves much. But when you talk to any veteran on campus, they will give you lists of other men whom they claim are the greater heros. They are all on each others lists though.
Senior Matthew Duquette was a member of the infantry in the United States Marine Corps. He attended boot camp in San Diego, then attended the Camp Pendleton School of Infantry in Southern California.
Duquette saw combat both in Iraq in 2007 and in Afghanistan in 2009.
“But Iraq was a lot quieter when I was there,” he said, as he held his baby son.
“It certainly gave me a greater perspective on things, as far as things that really matter,” Duquette said. “A world perspective on how good we have it here. It helped me complain less.”
During his fourth and final deployment in Afghanistan, Duquette wrote letters to his now wife, Julia, who was a student at Hillsdale. The first time he came to visit, he realized that this college was different.
“I knew before, but certainly from time in service, that there was something special that made America exceptional,” Duquette said. “After then seeing the proof of what makes us different from other places, I wanted to come here specifically to learn about the origins and real differences that made us better and made us special. And then also to learn things that we need to do to preserve what makes us different and better.”
Duquette realizes the importance of Veteran’s Day in reminding the American people of the sacrifices necessary to preserve and defend the country.
“Veteran’s Day is important because the whole reason that people join the military is to keep the evil-the people that would like to destroy the American way of life-at bay…so that Americans can grow up not living in fear.” His son squirmed in his arms.
Sophomore Michael Aavang served in the Marine Corps for five years. He chose that branch because of the challenge.
“It was the hardest. That’s literally why,” he said. He said the moral and physical courage taught in the Corps distinguishes a Marine from someone else.
Aavang attended the Marine boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He saw combat in Iraq when he was stationed there from December 2008 to the end of August 2009. In the Corps, Aavang was a Military Operations Specialist. He also held a number of both combat and noncombat related billets, which are a Marine’s secondary jobs. One of his billets was as a Marine Corps Arts instructor.
Before joining the Marines, Aavang studied philosophy. He said he was basically the liberal intellectual type who didn’t know anything about how the world actually worked.
But in his time in the Marines, Aavang experienced life in different countries.
“I got knowledge of how other countries live…just the feeling you get in the air walking around,” he said.
Aavang heard of Hillsdale from chaplains whom he was close to in the Marine Corp. He toured and loved it right away. Aavang realized that many people take for granted how special American government really is.
“I had just spent five years bleeding and sweating and watching really good people die for seemingly no reason. I can’t let that happen for no reason…the immeasurable sacrifice made by all the Marines I knew, I must make sure it means something,” he said.
Aavang found that the education at Hillsdale was the best foundation to do that. He lamented the fact that the erosion of military strength stems from a generation that thinks it is morally supposed to be a victim rather than to defend themselves.
“What they don’t realize is that there is a time and a place for righteous anger and for violence,” Aavang said. “The decline of military strength is systematic. It starts in the culture absolutely,”
The Marine Corps draws from a strong warrior culture in history.
For him, Veteran’s Day is not a time for social events, not merely for “hot dogs and hamburgers and beer.”
“It’s a time of reflection, a time to reconnect with that brotherhood,” he said.
Chief Jeffery Rogers served in the United States Navy. His office is plastered with military posters. There are dog tags hanging from a hook, and a picture of his wife wearing his white naval uniform.
Rogers said that the principles of honor, courage and commitment which are so fundamental at Hillsdale are the same core values of the Navy and Marine Corps. He said that, in the Navy, he raised his right hand to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic.
“That is what we teach here,” Rogers said. “The icon for Hillsdale College is this building: Central Hall. But it should be that soldier out there. We want soldiers…to know what they believe and why they believe it. We want a respectful nation that honors, has courage, and is committed.”
Rogers said that the students at Hillsdale College are patriotic; even those who have not served understand and respect. He said that we should still do more. Students should strive for academic excellence and service of others because the way has already been paved by veterans.
“Veterans have paid the way,” he said. “There is no excuse for failure. Hillsdale is on the backs and shoulders of men and women, some of whom have given the ultimate sacrifice.”
