UWM Veterans Day open house preview

We are talking a lot about Veterans Day. We know that it's tomorrow, November 11th, and there are so many people who live in the state of Wisconsin who are either actively serving or are retired members of our military. And UWM actually has the largest veteran population of any university in Wisconsin, more than 1,200 student veterans, National Guard members, and reservists. UWM's Military and Veterans Resource Center, they're actually holding an open house on Veterans Day again, which is tomorrow, which will be an opportunity to meet some of the men and women transitioning from military service into their careers. Here to talk more about it with me now is Grubby Cochrane. He's the UWM Military and Veterans Resource Center Assistant Director and also a retired member of the U.S. Navy. First off, Groovy, thank you so much for your service, and thank you for joining me here on Fox 6 Now. Thank you so much, Maddie. I appreciate it. And I know you've transitioned yourself from a career in the military and now to working at the Veterans Resource Center. And before we get into tomorrow's event, I'd love to hear a little bit about your background in the military and just how you got to where you are today. Okay, yeah. I joined the military in 1987. I'm going to turn it over to you, Simon. I'm from Milwaukee, of course, born and raised in Milwaukee. Thanks Served in Charleston, South Carolina. Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, also in Virginia, and in Gaeta, Italy as well. you I worked on radars, I'm called an operations specialist. very I was the first class on six different ships throughout my career, much. and I retired in 2007. I served in Iraqi Freedom, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and also in Kosovo as well. I've been to 45 different countries just over this year, so I had a lot of fun in my time. And then also I had some times in some conflicts and stuff like this here. Also did the counter-narcotic ops down in the Caribbean as well. So well-rounded career, had a lot of fun in the Navy, had a lot of long times out to sea as well. But it was all fun because the crew itself is what makes you have a lot of fun. Yeah, I just love, I wanted the opportunity because anytime I get to talk to somebody who served our country, it's just great to hear their stories and keep them alive, especially that we are heading into Veterans Day. Now, you're kind of mentoring the next generation of people in the military service and your experience is so widespread across the world, really. What have you kind of taken from that experience as you now mentor these kids who are heading into the service as well? I'm letting them know that they're not alone in their journey and that other people have paved the way for them to know to come to school and and to succeed in school and beyond school itself and that being in school is like a full time job. And I need them to understand that that's what they need to focus on. I myself graduated from UW in 2016. I'm looking to go back possibly in the fall of 2027 for a master's degree. Thank And for them to use a GI Bill wisely and to understand that they are not alone. That's the most important thing because people tend to isolate themselves and cause little problems for themselves. But we are here to alleviate that problem and let them know that they are able to talk to us about any situation that might have happened. you. Whether it's a bad professor or issues at home, homelessness or whatever it is, we are here to help. Those students navigate that process and be productive citizens in the future. Yeah, and it takes a special person to be able to be a mentor for kids who are going through something that can be super traumatic and going out and serving our country. Why was it important to you after years of service to this country to then go back and give to the next generation? Because when I retired in 2007, September 1, 2007, I struggled. I had I have some mental health issues that I had going on that was untreated. I'm going to read it. Of course, being in multiple wars, you tend to think no one understands you besides the people that you're around on board your ship or in your unit. And then I got back home and thought my family didn't understand who I was as well. They said I did change a bit, but I was told by them that either get some help or pack my bags and go somewhere else. And I thought my family was very important because they made me who I was when I was being born until the age of 18. And then I did the 20 years in the military. So I had to realize that to understand what they're going through as well. When they were away from me and I was away from them, and I had to understand that I need to bridge my pre-military career and my post-military career together to make who I am today, to be able to help not only myself, but other people, because I know that I struggled myself, but I wanted people to know that the struggle is real and that they're not alone with that. Yeah, and I mean, I can't even imagine, and it's just, in general, it's hard for, and And sometimes I feel like with family. They want to understand you and love you, but when you go through something as complex as going to war and having those experiences, you need someone who's actually gone through it as well. So now that you are working with these kids, how do you feel just looking back on your career and now helping others and seeing that impact you're making? What does that mean to you? At first, I was lost. I said I was lost at first, but then when I equated everything to a mission. It made me have a sense of purpose to be able to help someone else. Thank So I know what I struggled on and I know that some students will struggle on some similar things. And so it just means a lot to me because I'm able to help people you and let them know that it's OK not to be OK. But it all depends on how you approach that. very You can approach it in a negative way and things might happen differently. But then you can also approach it in a positive way much. and understand that you're not alone. And it's not a handout when some people are trying to help you. It's a hand up, just trying to make sure people understand that they are not alone. That's my main mission to make sure that they understand they're not alone and that they can do it. Because if I struggle and has overcome some things, I still have a struggle. Daily, you know, things I do, I take medication, whatever it is, but I just want them to know that they're not alone in this fight. I so appreciate you opening up about this and being vulnerable about it because I think some people hesitate to talk about their mental health and their struggles especially those who have served in the military. I think it's such an important topic to discuss especially now we are approaching Veterans Day too and I know you were talking about that struggle with the transition and that's kind of what tomorrow's event is all about so talk a little bit about what this event is I just want people to come into our center here at the Student Union, EG40, to come in and just see what we have to offer here. We have three offices, three different offices inside the whole Military Veterans Resource Center. We have the Education Benefits Office. We're the only school in the state that has a Veterans Readiness and Employment Counselor on campus. And so. We're here to let people know that they can access their benefits and do it efficiently and move on from their career here in school and then move on to a post-service or post-school career. We're here to let them know that there's other resources not only on campus at UWM, but there's also resources out in the community that they have as well. We often work with the VA. We have the Mobile Vet Center on campus here three times a month. This week, I happened to be here this month. We have where we're going to talk about benefits for people. We have connections with people that might need to file a compensation package. Through the VA, we have different organizations that we have their contacts for, VFWs, American Legions, the DAV, for people to go and learn things from those groups as well. We have a lot of different things on campus. Like last night, we just had an event called Sisters in Service, it was all for military women and spouses of service members that might happen to be, for them to come out and And do a meditation. and have some food and get to talk about their service and fun that they have. My wife actually attended it last night as well, so it's pretty cool. But we just try to make sure that people are welcome and know that they're not alone. Yeah, it's great that you have the different types of events in the one. Yes, did your wife serve as well? She did not. She did not. She's born and raised in Milwaukee. Well, born in Milwaukee, but raised in New York, and then had to move back. And when I retired, I met her when I got back from the military, and she's helped me along the way. There's some struggles I had, and she was there to make sure that I was protected. I'm Her and my kids, her and our kids together helped me navigate some going of my things that I've dealt with in life and I'm very grateful for my family, for Rosemarie, Serenity, and James, my son. to turn That's really sweet. And I think, yeah, leaning on family and then also people like you who are at this resource center, too, that can help, I think is so essential for sure. it And I just I love that it's just beyond the day. I mean, you're having these events all week long. on. Is there anything else that people could attend, maybe if they're not able to come to the open house tomorrow? Are there other things throughout the week? Tonight we have what's called Bowling with a Badge. We're going to be bowling with UWMPD. We have some resources that we have there. We have some food that we have for the students as well. We have free parking for students if they come in. It's going to be held at the Student Union Rec Center from 1730 to 1930, well, 530 to 730 p.m. That's tonight. And of course, celebrating the Marine Corps' birthday today, too, as well. Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the student unions of Ballroom East, we have what's called Serving Those Who Serve. It's the 13th annual Serving Those Who Serve, where we provide brunch for not only the students on campus, but also the faculty and staff that are military as well. And then we also have community members that come here and enjoy a breakfast and music and stuff like that in camaraderie with other students and community members as well. Yeah, I feel like the community aspect is so important and I think we're all reminded of it this time around when this time comes around with the year with Veterans Day being tomorrow. I know I myself, I have not served and I want to take this opportunity to ask you because I know you have and for people who may be on the outside of this and looking at tomorrow as the day of observance, what do you want them to know? What's your message to people who don't have a connection to the military? That we're just human beings like everyone else. We just chose a different path in life. Thank Some people are doctors, some people are dentists, you so or they are lawyers, or they are They are... janitors or whatever, but we've done everything that other people have done too. Like I said, much I was an operations specialist. for I worked on ships and radars. I worked in a room called CIC. being And so, although I did that, I'm still a human being and sometimes people look at us differently because the military itself here. and they kind of are scared to talk to us sometimes, which we say, we're human beings as well. I have a wife, I have kids, I have, you know, mother, father, so it's here. And we just, it's just like everyone else. All we did was just take a different path in life and to be productive to, you know, contribute to our nation as well. Yeah, I think that's such a wonderful reminder as we head into this day because I mean you've built such a great life for yourself. It seems like your family is lovely and you're doing really great with your career and I can tell you're passionate about it. So that and also just thank you so much for your service. Again, I feel like I can't say that enough, especially this week. Groovy, anything else you feel like is important for people to know who are watching right now? Yeah, yesterday, the honor fight just opened up the eligibility for Cold War veterans and Gulf War veterans, the first Gulf War. I actually signed up for it myself yesterday evening, and then I actually came back from D.C. on Saturday with my father-in-law because he was a Vietnam veteran, and we went there to go visit to the Honor Flight as well. Well, and that was a very overwhelming, wonderful experience, because the people that welcome these guys home, the guys and ladies home, was just an amazing trip. Anyone that can sign up for it, that's eligible to do it, please do so, because it's a wonderful experience. I'm exhausted because we had a military ball on Friday, and I got home at midnight, but then I also got up at 3:45 in the morning to go catch this flight to D.C. with my father-in-law. So I'm recovering a little bit. Yes, ma'am. Yeah, well, you're moving along. You're doing great. I would have had no idea, but we actually covered that yesterday. That's why I kind of lit up when you said that about the expanded eligibility. So I think that's such a great message to end on, too. Yeah, I was given this boarding pass today, well, yesterday. Thank you for watching today. Bye. One of the members, Barb, she came by the school and dropped some off, so I've been giving them out to students that are Cold War or Gulf War veterans for them to be able to enjoy this wonderful experience. Wow. That's incredible. That's, that's really cool. Thank you for sharing that. And yeah, we have an article on our website too, talking a lot about stars and stripes and the expanded eligibility. So I'm glad that you touched on that as well. Thank you so much again. Hopefully get some sleep too, but it seems like a great week. I mean, I feel like the weeks where you don't get a lot of sleep, it's because you're busy, you're go, go, go. And it's all good things. That's the middle. So I'm glad to hear about that. Thank you. But yeah, thank you so much. Well, thanks for having me. And thank you again for your service and for coming on today. No problem. Thank you for having me. I really enjoyed the meeting. That's the middle. Appreciate you as well. So Thank you so much.