Submitted photo
Nathan Brand is pictured with his dog on the day he returned from his deployment in Kuwait. he also re-enlisted in the MN National Guard in 2010 and, in May 2011, was sent on a one-year deployment to Kuwait. There, he conducted base security, which he said was set at a much slower pace than his time in Iraq. “When I (told) my family and friends that it’s boring, they said it’s better than getting shot at or having the fear of being blown up,” he said. Non-traditional education Brand finished his second deployment this May. He is heading back to MSU this fall and hopes to graduate next spring. He only has three more upper level courses to complete. Because of his veteran’s status, Brand is considered a non-traditional student at MSU. However, he said his experiences have actually been a benefit now that he’s pursuing a higher-level education. “I enjoy being a non-traditional student,”
he said. “(I think) we learn from the challenges of having to balance school along with being in the military, having a full-time job, having children, starting at a later age. ... Some may see it as a setback, but many will see it as experience.” Brand said MSU actively reaches out to nontraditional students and tries to make their transition smoother. “MSU has done a fantastic job in reaching out to non-traditional students, especially military veterans,” he said. “The faculty understands that you have other factors that may intervene with school, and they are more than willing to help.” Brand is also grateful for the on-campus Veterans’ Resource Center, which offers veterans guidance and a place to meet fellow veterans. He said student veterans frequent the center on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. “It is nice to have a place to go where there are people that are going through the
same transition that I am, and the Veterans’ Resource Center provides that place,” he said. Graduation goals After graduation, Brand isn’t sure whether he will continue in the military or not. He says he will take it one year at a time. He does plan to return to MSU to pursue his master’s degree in either public administration or criminology. For now, he’s focusing on finishing those last few classes. And, while his military service certainly added challenges when it came to reaching commencement, Brand says his time in the military has shaped him and given him great opportunities. “The military has given me the confidence to better myself, and the civilian side has produced my strong work ethic,” he said. “What better job is there than to work with America’s greatest?” M
MANKATO MAGAZINE • August 2012 • 27