Honors College students braved wet, chilly weather for hours Wednesday to sell rubber, camouflage-print bracelets and honor the nation’s veterans.
The college’s students complete a service project each fall, and this year’s supported those who have served in the U.S. military since 9/11 by selling bracelets. All of the proceeds from the bracelets will go to Hope For The Warriors, an organization offering support to service members and their families.
LSU is home to more than 400 veterans, active duty military, men and women in the military reserves and National Guard members, according to University Veteran and Military Student Services.
Granger Babcock, Honors College associate dean, said the students’ weeklong service project goes along with the college’s summer reading assignment this year, David Finkel’s “Thank You for Your Service,” which explores the challenges faced by military combat veterans and their families.
“We chose to work with Hope For The Warriors, which is founded by military wives specifically for military families in June of 2006,” Babcock said.
Babcock said it seemed appropriate to do the bracelet sales during the week of Veterans Day.
Former congressional candidate and doctoral candidate Norm Clark, who ran on a platform to improve conditions for veterans, said he wholeheartedly approves of the service project.
“One of the things to keep in mind is some of these military service people come back with post-traumatic stress disorder,” Clark said. “These groups explain to the family what’s going on and can help them decompress.”
Clark said the goal of veteran support organizations is informing the families of military service members what they can do to help make the transition back to civilian life easier for veterans.
He said veterans can also be honored more lightheartedly.
A celebration honoring veterans will be held at the USS Kidd on Sunday with music and other festivities, Clark said. He said support for veterans as they are coming back to the U.S. after serving is important because of the challenges they face.
Hope For The Warriors offers programs to help with career transitions and educate military families on how to care for wounded veterans.
The University has its own support system for student veterans with Veteran and Military Student Services. Coordinator Adam Jennings said he supports the Honors College’s project.
Earlier this year, student veterans got a place on campus of their own in Hatcher Hall.
Jennings said the organization helps make the transition easier for veterans who don’t have the same experiences as their peers prior to coming to the University.
“I actually stopped by yesterday and picked up one of the bracelets,” Jennings said.