A Sullivan Grad, Vet Responds to Sen. Harkin's Attack on For-Profit Colleges

[This is a guest post by Brent Casey, president of Student Veterans of America-Chapter 227 and a graduate of Sullivan University in Louisville.]

When I read that Senator Tom Harkin’s plans to limit the role that career colleges and universities play in educating Americans, particularly our nation’s military veterans, I felt compelled to respond.

Senator Harkin apparently believes there is something wrong with the fact that career schools have an increasing number of students who have served our nation in the military. Today, career schools have a higher percentage of students with military service than any other branch of post-secondary education.

The reality is that returning veterans need institutions that provide greater flexibility for those balancing their obligations to families and work, as well as obtaining their education. Those who have served are oftentimes very focused on receiving particular degrees that lead to careers in targeted areas.

When I concluded my service in the military, a career school provided me the opportunity and flexibility I needed to get an education and transition successfully. I was suffering from severe PTSD and could not bear to think about being in a classroom of 100-150 students, nor did I have the patience to study biology in a path to a Masters degree in business. I would not have been able to get a diploma at a four-year school or even community college, while simultaneously keeping a job and attending to my family. Had it not been for a career college/university such as Sullivan University, I would not have been able to enjoy the flexibility with regard to scheduling, small classes and dealing with my personal PTSD issues on my terms.

As a result, today, with thanks to Sullivan University, I have graduated with an associate’s degree in business, a bachelor’s degree in business and management, and a Master’s degree in business, all with honors. I am currently a doctoral candidate studying strategic management and I am co-founder and president of Student Veterans of America-Chapter 227 at Sullivan University.

If Senator Harkin pursues what he calls “remedial actions,” I worry that others who leave the military will be unable to achieve their goals. It all starts with real options concerning educational opportunities, and while well-intentioned, any efforts to limit choices hurt not help.

In today’s economy, the government should not limit opportunities in education, instead expand them. Career colleges and universities play a critical role in making sure our veterans are able to transition into the civilian workforce.

My advice as someone who has served is for Senator Harkin to reconsider his words and actions, which will only end up hurting veterans as opposed to helping them. I believe a man who is good enough to serve his country should be good enough to make his own decision about where he wants to attend college. Our veterans have earned that right and Congress should not be limiting our options.

Brent Casey is president of Student Veterans of America-Chapter 227 and graduate of Sullivan University.

DitchMitch & Co. Cross Gold Star Mother and Widow

The left-wing websites, like DitchMitch and Senate 2008 Guru, assumed that dead men tell no tales when they ran a recent attack piece against Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell.

The article took out of context remarks that McConnell had made about three Fort Campbell soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. In addition to slamming McConnell, the bloggers took the opportunity to make a plug for opposing candidate Andrew Horne.

Good taste and common sense would suggest that the Demo-blogs should have stopped there, but they did not.

Their piece continued:

The next time Mitch McConnell goes to Fort Campbell for a photo op, maybe he'll think of some of these names.

It then proceeded to list the names of Kentuckians who have died in Iraq, including these two soldiers:

10/28/04: Pfc. Stephen P. Downing II, 30, of Burkesville, Ky., died Oct. 28 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, from small arms fire while conducting combat operations. Downing was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, Camp Hovey, Korea.

4/8/04: Cpl. Nicholas J. Dieruf, 21, of Versailles, Ky., died April 8 due to injuries received from enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The left-wing bloggers whose sole avocation is to defeat Mitch McConnell exploited -- apparently without the families' permission -- the names of soldiers killed in action. DitchMitch & Co. gambled that the mothers and widows of these soldiers wouldn't read such hate-filled blogs, and therefore would not know that their loved ones' names and deaths had been misappropriated.

We don't need to speculate how Pfc. Downing's mother feels about McConnell: she wrote the Courier-Journal to voice here unequivocal support for him. She's earned the right to have her letter quoted in its entirety:

'Proud mother'

Recently I have read several articles abominating U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. I understand that we are approaching an election year and this is the time for contemptible statements and manufactured controversies, but people who take statements out of context to try to build a case against someone, just show me that they don't know what they are talking about.
I am the proud mother of a fallen soldier. My son was killed by a sniper's bullet in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004. I know firsthand what McConnell meant, as I have had the honor of meeting with him on more than one occasion. During these visits, McConnell voiced pride and honor when speaking of our military and especially our Fallen Heroes. In fact, I can tell you that while talking about my son, I told McConnell that my son enlisted for the second time after September 11. He wanted to protect his family, friends and country. No one told him he had to go. The first time my son enlisted, he was a member of the National Guard and his unit was on standby to be deployed overseas. So when I read Mr. Craig B. Parker's letter in The Courier-Journal stating that "the National Guard never envisioned that their altruism would lead to full-time service," is ridiculous.
I hope that Kentuckians realize how lucky we are to have an honorable man as Mitch McConnell representing us.
STELLA MAYNARD
Burkesville, Ky. 42717 (emphasis added).

Likewise, Cpl. Dieruf's widow wrote to the Courier-Journal to defend McConnell:

Walks McConnell's walk

Without exploring the merits of war, I want to say our family walks the walk of a statement for which Sen. Mitch McConnell has been attacked in this paper. We have lived the horrific tragedy along with the highest honor of losing our husband, son, grandson and brother, Cpl. Nich Dieruf. Nich was assuredly proud of his training and of his accomplishments in the Marines. He lived the selfless attitude of a serviceman.
With his combat death, we received many letters of gratitude from those who serve our nation in politics as well as the military. All were politically respectful of our sacrifice; some evidenced individual caring.
McConnell initiated a Senate floor honorarium for Kentucky's fallen heroes. He talked with family members, to be able to speak of our Nich's individual peacemaking talents among his three brothers, his love and faithfulness to his parents and grandparents, his pride in his bride.
He delivered his speech with decorum yet intimate feeling. Afterward in his chambers, his soft eyes told of his true understanding of our personal sacrifice. I will any day, any time take Sen. McConnell's hand and walk his walk along side him.
EMILY DIERUF
Lexington, Ky. 40502 (emphasis added).

DitchMitchKy exploited the sacrifice of Cpl. Dieruf and Pfc. Downing in their unending attempt to capture McConnell's Senate seat for the Democrats. It won't work: Kentuckians are too decent to reward such conduct, and too smart to be duped by it.