Sgt. Brison森林 makes education a priority as the 俄亥俄州 Army National Guardsman balances being a student with being a soldier

作者:拉伦·科瓦尔奇克，2007年

This article is part of an ongoing series of stories highlighting active-duty and veteran students, their mentors and the University's nationally top-ranked programs that support military and veteran students in achieving their mission of higher education at BGSU.

澳博官方网站 junior and 俄亥俄州 Army National Guardsman Sgt. 布里森·伍兹(briison 森林)于9月前往德克萨斯州, where he’ll spend two months training for a year-long deployment - his third and longest departure since enrolling at the University in 2019.

虽然这是伍兹的第一次海外部署, he’s familiar with the balancing act of being a student and an active military member. 森林 has been activated twice, creating unique differences in his educational journey.

“As soon as I get back, I’m finally going to finish my degree,伍兹说. “我想完成我开始的事情. 一旦我能做到这一点，我就可以面对这个世界了.”

一个机敏的高中生, 森林 initially attended an honors college at a private university, 他在哪里读的医学预科. But away from the guidance and support of his parents, 森林 said he struggled to stay on track.

“当我终于从父母那里完全获得自由时, 我用错误的方式利用了它,他说. “刚上大学的时候，我没有足够的自律. 我到处都是.”

森林 enlisted in the 37th Brigade's 1-148th Infantry Regiment of the 俄亥俄州 Army National Guard in 2018, 寻找他所缺乏的自律.

从本宁堡的基础训练回来后, 乔治亚州, 森林, 在托莱多地区长大的人吗, enrolled at BGSU in Fall 2019 and initially majored in international studies with an interest in living and working abroad.

“My parents have always stressed to me how important education is,伍兹说. “教育将为你打开世界. 如果这一切都失败了，我还有一个学位. 这是一个基础."

学生和当值士兵

2020年4月, 森林’ unit was given a 24-hour notice of activation to Columbus, 俄亥俄州, to work as corrections officers at The 俄亥俄州 State University Wexner Medical Center.

The unit provided security when prisoners were brought into the hospital to be treated for COVID-19. With just a few weeks left in the semester and the short deployment notice, 伍兹是自己说的, he struggled to communicate the necessary information to his professors.

“我以前没有被激活过, so I wasn’t sure what I needed to do in terms of my coursework or scheduling times to make up exams,伍兹说.

Around that time, Jason Graven, military program coordinator in 非传统军事学生服务(NTMSS) at BGSU, reached out to 森林, offering to help with any activation-related needs. 森林 acknowledged that Graven frequently communicated with him, but he rarely engaged.

这次不一样了.

“I thought I could handle juggling college and my military duties by myself,伍兹说. 在我终于找到他之后, 我知道有时候, a helping hand can push you to new heights of independence and self-sufficiency.”

北京外国语大学是全国排名第一的大学 for its support of veterans and active military students and was among the first group of 33 俄亥俄州 colleges and universities designated in May as a 紫星大学校园 因为它支持来自军事背景的学生.

工作人员 in the NTMSS offices are regularly in contact with veterans and military students, 提供一对一的咨询, peer support and connections with outside organizations like the Department of 退伍军人 Affairs and Student 退伍军人 of America.

华盛顿的激活

伍兹2020年秋季在波士顿州立大学上课. 然后，在一月. 2021年8月8日——在美国发生暴动两天后.S. 国会-伍兹率领他的部队前往华盛顿. 他注册了下学期的课程, but the long hours and unpredictability of shifts made it nearly impossible to keep up with his coursework.

“Our shifts were based on what was happening that day,伍兹说. “有时是10个小时，有时15个小时，甚至20个小时.”

当伍兹在二月初回到波士顿州立大学时, he looked to NTMSS for help getting back on track with his classes and readjusting to life as a student.

伍兹最近转了专业 文学学士学位 with a minor in computer science after being introduced to cybersecurity through his role in the Army. 

伍兹说:“我离成功很近了. “我想完成大学学业，进入人生的下一个阶段."