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fter 24 years of active duty service in the United States Air Force, BYU–Hawaii Associate Professor Stuart Wolthuis has acquired an inspiring list of accolades, which includes more than two dozen honors and medals, a bachelor’s of science degree and a master’s of engineering degree in industrial and systems engineering. Despite the dangers and strife of serving in the military, his family said he cherishes his time in the Air Force. Of his achievements, Wolthuis’ wife Emily Wolthuis said, “My husband would never say this about himself because he is a very humble man. He was consistently recognized for his outstanding leadership and contributions; in fact, he was Airman of the Year for all fighter bases west of the Mississippi River in 1987 and Company Grade Officer of the Year when he served in Italy. He also led a team that received Vice President Gore’s Hammer Award for saving millions of dollars in acquisition costs on a significant national project. I’m extremely proud of his dedication and commitment in whatever calling, job or responsibility he has.” Of his military service, Wolthuis said, “Serving in the military is really tough, mostly on families. I also felt the loss of several coworkers and friends who died over the years during their military service. The most tragic died in a helicopter crash, another in an airplane crash and another from a gun misfire after training. Serving in the military is dangerous. “Many return from military service with scars and wounds, and many have wounds you can’t see, such as post traumatic stress disorder.” Wolthuis also acknowledged the sacrifices his own family had to make. He said, “Many people have thanked me over the years for my military service, but the real sacrifice was given by my family. If you tell my children or my wife how much you appreciate their support and sacrifice as a military family, you will probably see me cry. They are my heroes.”
N E W S T U D E N T ISSUE 2021 75
