Washburn Student Media celebrates veterans

When college didn’t seem like the right path in life, soon-to-graduate Scott Nickel chose to enlist in the U.S. Navy submarine force for a few reasons: he didn’t need to be athletic, he knew submarines were air conditioned but most of all, the Navy fed well. “I don’t lie to my students, so I wouldn’t lie to you,” Nickel said. “Those all went into my decision making.”  Nickel...

For Banks Whitney, joining the Kansas Air National Guard was simply joining the family business. As a 22-year-old Washburn University business major and a Restoration and Repair Crew Chief in the Kansas Air National Guard, he is following in the footsteps of both of his grandfathers, one who was a pilot for the United States Airforce and the other who worked on the same type of aircraft Banks Whitney ...

Bassima Schbley, a 56-year-old veteran of the United States Army, is an associate professor of social work at Washburn University. She served for six years in the Army Reserves from 2008 to 2013 and her current rank is First Lieutenant.  Schbley was married to her soulmate Ayla, who died unexpectedly in 2005 but absolutely respected the Army and was her biggest supporter. Ayla Schbley was a Vietnam War...

Tracy Horacek is a U.S Army veteran who is also an office coordinator in the College of Arts and Sciences at Washburn University.  Born and raised in Florida, Horacek grew up idolizing the movie “Rambo,” and that gave her aspirations of being an Army woman. She worked toward making her dream come true in high school by being in the ROTC (which she really enjoyed), and she hoped the U.S. Army wo...

Jacob Maynard, a mass media major at Washburn University, is also an old hand at military life since he has served both in the United States Army and is now serving in the Kansas National Guard.  Maynard first enlisted in the U.S. Army in March 2017, and was originally stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas, where he worked as a computer/detection systems repairer.  “I was a pretty quiet kid in high school and ...

David Trupp, currently a strength/conditioning director and football/baseball coordinator at Washburn University, is also a longtime veteran of the United States Army, where he served from 1983-1985 and retired as an E-1 private.  At 56 years old, Trupp has two children, Connor and Kiera, and has built a career in athletics - something he feels his military service set him up for. “I nev...

For 14 years, Raymond Mathias Guerrero served in the United States Navy until he retired in 1997. During his time, he specialized in broadcast engineering and oversaw interior communications as a first-class petty officer. Now, Guerrero is on his way to getting his degree in alcohol and drug counseling. Guerrero wasn’t sure what he was going to do right after high school, but being born and ra...

Alex Younger, a junior in mass media at Washburn University, has enjoyed her transition to being a full-time college student all while fulfilling her commitments in the Kansas Air National Guard. Returning to school has been a refreshing change for Younger, as it has given her opportunities to focus on her education and decide what she would like to do in the future. Like many students, she wante...

Jody Toeber-Clark, a 50-year-old veteran of the United States National Guard, family nurse practitioner, assistant professor at Washburn University with a doctorate and mother, was happy to enlist and support her country. She spent a total of eight years in the military and only left to take care of her children. Toeber-Clark’s mannerism is professional but caring at the same time. On the day of m...

When deciding between pursuing college or the United States Air Force after graduation, there wasn’t even a question in Kolton Buehler’s mind that the best option for him was to choose to serve his country. “It was a very risky decision though, overall,” Buehler said. “However, I think it was the right decision for me and for my family.” Buehler enlisted at 17 and began basic tra...