GVSU honors Veterans Day with special events

Grand Valley hosted its 14th Annual Veterans Day Breakfast at the Alumni House on Monday. The breakfast welcomed veterans and members of the GVSU community together to honor those who served in the United States Armed Forces and National Guard.

Keynote speaker, Lt. Col. Lisa Jaster, discussed the importance of being seen and being inclusive, highlighting her experience going from a small town in Wisconsin to a diverse group of service members in the army.

The event also included those from the West Michigan community, including state Sen. Winnie Brinks and state Rep. Carol Glanville. 

Shane Scherer, director of the Peter Secchia Military and Veterans Resource Center, emceed the breakfast. In his opening remarks, Scherer highlighted the work the resource center has done to create an inclusive campus for GVSU’s veteran students.

“For many veterans, the pathways to graduation involve many challenges beyond academics,” Scherer said. “Knowing this, we committed ourselves to creating an inclusive, supportive environment that honors the strong bonds our veterans have formed here and underscore our commitment to their dream.”

Scherer specifically noted the re-introduction of the Student Veteran Graduation Celebration, recognizing the resilience, community and unique journey student veterans undertake in higher education. The resource center also reinstated the Peer Advisors for Veterans Education program as well as creating the Military and Veteran Faculty and Staff Association.

GVSU student veteran Airman Caleb Worpel, who served four years in the U.S. Air Force before being medically retired, followed Scherer’s opening remarks. Worpel said the veteran resource center alongside his sister’s alumni status with the university were major factors in choosing to pursue his degree at Grand Valley. He said the center has been instrumental in his success at GVSU.

“It comes down to having that camaraderie when you’re outside the service, and when you can rejoin that group of people that understands you,” said Worpel, who is pursuing an undergraduate degree in journalism. “That is what the center is for.”

Following Worpel was Jaster, one of the first women to graduate from the Army Ranger School. She also served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jaster continues to serve as an Army Reserve officer.

She said she was surrounded by what she described as a “vanilla sea” growing up in her home town. Basic training was her first major experience surrounded by people of other cultures and ethnicities. That experience broke down barriers for Jaster and her fellow service members.

“What the Army did for me, and what the military does for a lot of us is it forces us into uncomfortable situations. You don’t have to deploy to combat to have that experience,” Jaster said. “The other thing it does is it creates a brotherhood.”

Jaster concluded her speech by challenging the veterans in the room to be comfortable in their status as veterans and work with the youth of the country to continue building the United States toward the ideals they signed up to serve for.

In closing remarks,  President Philomena V. Mantella shared her own challenge for those in attendance.

“Remember that the most important thing is to include. The most important thing is for people to be seen and have the opportunity to express themselves,” Mantella said. “I hope we can all come together and remember that our service men and women have done this to preserve our democracy, our freedom and our world of inclusion.”

At evening event, Army reservist shares more about her journey as a trailblazer

Lisa Jaster is a groundbreaking figure in military history.

A 2000 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and now a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, Jaster became the first female reservist to graduate from the rigorous Army Ranger School in 2015, one of the first three women to endure the grueling training. 

Jaster shared her experience in Ranger School as well as her 18-year military career as the keynote speaker during the Hauenstein Center’s Veterans Day Celebration on November 11 at the DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. 

Jaster was a senior project manager at Royal Dutch Shell and a 37-year-old mother of two in Texas when she was recruited to re-enlist and decided to become a Ranger. 

Jaster said when people ask her about her experience at Ranger School, they often ask one similar question: Did she ever think of quitting?

She said the thought did cross her mind during mountain training, the most physically grueling stage. During a rare break, she asked her partner, a chaplain, to pray with her, she said.

“God, thank you for giving me the strength to continue on,” Jaster said. “But if I happen to roll down this cliff and break my ankle — not so bad that it's permanently damaged, but bad enough that I get to go home — I won't be mad at you.”

Jaster said the chaplain responded by shoving the butt of his rifle into her ribs. It was the moment of clarity she needed to regain focus and complete her training, she said. 

“We all hit those times when we just can't go anymore,” Jaster said. “The key is to reach out. You might not have a chaplain that butts you in the kidney. I hope you don’t, but if you do, that’s probably a really good friend. Keep them around.”

During a Q&A session with the audience, Jaster also discussed her book, “Delete the Adjective,” and redefining labels.

“I don't want to be known as a middle-aged woman who graduated Ranger School,” Jaster said. “I just want to be known as a Ranger School graduate.

“But the truth is, I also don't wanna lose my adjectives. I want adjectives to describe us, not define us.”

— Senior Writer Brian Vernellis also contributed to this story.