Take advantage of Military Emphasis Week

The time of appreciation for veterans who serve and have served gives students the chance to give back.

Life in itself is an ongoing drama, each day filled with an inevitable mixture of ups and downs. Throughout the journey, moments of tragedy are a certainty. On Oct. 13, the Liberty University community went through one of those trials.

This was the day that U.S. Army Sgt. Robert J. Billings, a Liberty University Online student, was killed while serving in the line of duty in Afghanistan. The story is filled with many tragic details. There is the fact that Billings was just one month away from returning home, according to his hometown news station in Morely, Mich. There is the sad reality that his goal of obtaining a B.S. in Criminal Justice will never be achieved.

But when I read the news of Billings’ passing, a few other names stood out besides his.

They are the names of his family. The name of his wife of eight years, Christy, seemed to jump off the page. The list of his four children, Isaiah, Kayle, Elijah and Naomi, pulled at my heartstrings. All of them face the shocking and premature reality of life without their husband or father.

As a community, we share in their pain. As Christians, we pray for their future. As fellow Americans, we appreciate Billings’ ultimate sacrifice.

The question many ask is, “How can we help?”

This question must be answered.

Monday marked the beginning of Military Emphasis Week (MEW), which will run from Nov. 5 to Nov. 10. According to the university website, MEW is dedicated to raise awareness of and appreciation for those who serve and have served in the United States military. There has never been a more appropriate time for the student body to step up.

The Office of Military Affairs offers numerous ways for students to donate and show support. Director Emily Foutz and her team have joined up with the student-run organization Students Behind our Soldiers to send care packages filled with snacks, hygiene products and of course, Liberty T-shirts. To maintain the ability to do this type of ministry, they are relying on students to chip in.

“This is something Students Behind our Soldiers does year-round. Resources help them to continue to do that,” Foutz said.

Boxes will be placed at the Vines Center as well as throughout DeMoss and Green Hall.

Drop in a few donations when you pass by, because our veterans appreciate it.

Psychology students and any other interested parties can attend a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Seminar Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in DeMoss Hall 1114. A definition of what PTSD is, what treatments are available and other tools that can help those affected will be discussed. Stop by and listen, because a veteran may need your help one day.

Former Navy pilot Jerry Coffee will also speak in convocation Wednesday. Coffee was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for seven years. After he was released in 1973, he went back to work in the Navy. Come to convocation and give your full attention, because our veterans deserve our applause and respect.

More events are being held throughout the week, from luncheons to military panels.

All are listed on the Military Affairs’ website. It is time to put our words of encouragement into actions of assistance.

Foutz said that something as simple as attending these events and voicing our gratitude is priceless to the families of veterans.

“It really helps if we have a lot of students show up to support and recognize all the sacrifices that they have made,” she said.

And that is the key to the success of the Office of Military Affairs.

“It’s about creating a sense of community with veterans on campus,” Foutz said. “It helps when they can encourage each other in classes and share in each other’s struggles.”

Those outside Liberty’s campus have various ways to donate as well. Organizations such as American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans have their own websites, where you can lend financial support, no matter how small.

The fact that our university dedicates a whole week to honor those who serve or have served is a blessing. Liberty has over 200 on-campus soldiers alone. Never forget the fact that we live in a country where we have the freedom to embrace our troops.

Now, it is up to us to take the time to thank those veterans who give us the freedom to do so.