New freshmen adjust to college life after war experiences

By Jessica Grazier, Public Relations Information Assistant

Among the most common struggles traditional college freshmen face are adjusting to being away from home for the first time and learning to exercise the responsibility that college life demands. These aren’t such big issues for a growing number of freshmen – Iraq War veterans who are beginning their college careers after a tour of duty in a war zone.

Dustin Drilling, a freshman from El Dorado Springs, Mo., and a former sergeant in the Army, says he has had to adjust to “not being in charge anymore.” In Iraq, Drilling focused his energies on gathering intelligence about enemy forces that was used to plan U.S. tactics. At PSU, Drilling thinks about his studies and works on “getting back into the swing of things.” His goal, he said, is to “better myself to be a better soldier.”

Robert Helmer, a freshman from Augusta, Kan., like Drilling, sees a college degree as the road to a better future.

“The only way you could better yourself somewhere is to have a college education,” said Helmer, who recently completed a tour of duty in Iraq with a National Guard engineering battalion.

Both men say the slower pace of life takes some getting used to. In Iraq, the adrenaline was constantly flowing.

“The adrenaline rush is something that you could never find again,” Drilling said. “Nothing like that will ever happen again.”

On campus, life is more predictable.

“(You) wake up every morning to a quiet day and the awareness of knowing everything that is going to happen, for the most part,” said Helmer.

Helmer and Drilling say their classmates, although younger and with a different set of life experiences, make them feel at home.

“The age difference makes us more interesting,” Helmer said. “We have seen more and experienced more and people want to know.”

After they complete their degrees, Helmer and Drilling will serve another four years with the Army. The difference this time is that they will do so with a college degree and a new set of college experiences to their credit.

---Pitt State---