Woodward: Injured vets get help reforging their
lives
by Tim Woodward
With BSU setting annual enrollment records and building its name as an
athletic power, it's easy for those of us in this part of Idaho to ignore
the achievements of Idaho's other universities.
We shouldn't. Credit the University of Idaho with an idea that other
universities would do well to emulate. Instead of talking about supporting
our troops, UI is doing it in a meaningful way.
Tom Prewitt is proof. He graduated from the university in May with a
degree in wildlife resources and now works for the Coeur d'Alene Tribe as
a wildlife habitat biologist.
What does that have to do with supporting our troops? Prewitt was one of
our troops. He has a permanent disability from injuries suffered while
serving in the Army in Afghanistan. Graduating from college might still be
a dream for him if not for a UI program that helps wounded veterans and
their spouses. It's called Operation Education, and Prewitt is its first
graduate.
The program is the first of its kind in the nation. The idea for it came
when Heidi Linehan of the university's office of development spent time
with veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
"She was moved by the spirit of the veterans going through rehab there,"
Operation Education chairwoman Karen White said. "She came to me to
because I have a background in physical education and a connection with
the president. (UI President Tim White is her husband.)
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"She wanted to know how we could help injured
veterans, and we decided the obvious thing was to provide scholarships and
help them with their education. These are people who need to rethink how
they're going to make a living, contribute to society and feed their
families, and higher education is the key. It's what we can do to thank
them for what they've done in behalf of our country."
Operation Education provides veterans severely wounded since Sept. 11,
2001, with tuition, fees, books, transportation, on-campus housing,
medical assistance, child care and other benefits. Two students have
enrolled through it this year. Spouses also are eligible.
"We made it available to spouses because wounded veterans might not be
able to work outside of the home due to their injuries," UI spokeswoman
Joni Kirk said. "The spouse in those cases will be the breadwinner."
It's hard to overestimate the value of that kind of help for those who
have been disabled serving their country. College has become so expensive
that G.I. Bill benefits typically fall $19,000 short of paying for a
four-year education, and disabled veterans have additional expenses other
students don't. Operation Education can mean the difference between going
to college and just dreaming about it. It can make the difference between
dead ends and a productive life.
The assistance is different for each student. For Prewitt, who is married
and has a young son, child care was a crucial component. For Chase Clark,
it's physical therapy — which a local hospital provided without charge.
"The difference was night and day," White said. "His grades improved, and
suddenly he had a twinkle in his eye."
Clark, 22, is a sophomore studying landscape architecture. His injuries
were so traumatic that he still doesn't talk about his military service,
but Operation Education has given him a new start.
"It's made all the difference in the world," he said. "It's helped me with
anything I've needed, backed me up and provided excellent support. It's
something that needs to get out to more veterans."
Their injuries qualify the veterans for help through Vocational
Rehabilitation, which is administered by the Department of Veteran's
Affairs , but the rest of their financial assistance is privately funded.
"We have about 237 donors who have contributed over $190,000," said
Linehan, now the program's director of development. "Part of that is a
$50,000 pledge from Boise. These aren't necessarily UI alums, either.
They're doing it because of what the program is doing for veterans. The
connection is in their hearts."
Karen White sends hand-written thank-you letters to each donor, regardless
of the size of the donation. And her husband plans to send letters to all
college presidents in the country, urging them to consider similar
programs at their schools.
"We're hoping this kind of help will be available at colleges and
universities throughout the nation," Linehan said.
"What a great thing that would be for our veterans. I wake up every
morning knowing we're doing the right thing."
Tim Woodward: 377-6409
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Larry Scott --
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