Students support troops, each other
SLIPPERY ROCK — A military deployment can be just as hard on those left at home as it is for those sent away.
To provide some support to Slippery Rock University students with military connections, as well as supporting the troops, Kara Werkmeister, and other like-minded college students have created the Military Support Group at Slippery Rock University. The group's slogan summarizes its mission: “Supporting Each Other and Supporting Our Troops.”
The student club was approved by the Student Government Association in January, according to Army Capt. Joseph Barrow, SRU assistant professor of military science, who serves as its faculty adviser. Werkmeister is the group's co-founder and graduate adviser.
“The group recently had a craft night to make paracord bracelets,” said Barrow. “It's bracelets made out of parachute chord, called 550 cord. The Army's two indispensable tools are duct tape and 550 cord.”
“Bracelets are sent to people deployed. If they get into a situation where you need it, you can take it out and use it,” said Barrow.
Werkmeister, a graduate student in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program at SRU and a 2010 SRU graduate with a degree in secondary education, said the March 21 event in the Smith Student Center ballroom attracted nearly 50 students.
“They made bracelets and wrote letters. It's our goal to put the bracelets and letters into 10 to 20 care packages to send to Slippery Rock alumni serving overseas,” said Werkmeister, whose boyfriend is currently training in the Navy.Commiserating with Lyric Ackelson, a senior arts administration and nonprofit leadership major from Butler, whose own fiance is in the military, helped them decide to start the group, according to Werkmeister.“Lyric and I worked together and we thought there has to be more people in our position,” said Werkmeister.“Students who have military connection need to have a support group,” Ackelson said. “My fiance is an officer in the Marine Corps, and my experience with the military has been wonderful. However, while I have been supporting his career over the last year and half there have also been times where I needed support myself and now that this group has formed, I have finally found my place to go.”The group numbers about 30, said Eliza Sykes, a junior sports management major, whose boyfriend also is in the Marines.Ackelson said potential members don't have to have a connection to the military to join, just a desire to support the troops.Sykes said the next meeting in April will allow the members to make care packages — containing the bracelets, letters, personal hygiene products and reading material — to be sent to Slippery Rock alumni in the military. The group's goal is to make at least 20 packages.
Werkmeister said the goal of the outreach is to send service members “a little piece of home, and a notice that we still think of you here at The Rock.”Werkmeister said another intention of the Military Support Group at SRU is to unify students who know someone in ROTC or active duty but don't know where to turn for support. Students do not have to be in the service themselves to get involved.“You might have a classmate you know who was deployed, it could be your roommate or boyfriend,” said Werkmeister.The Military Support Group aims also to support outside charities and military organizations that reach out to soldiers and veterans, including those veterans suffering from emotional trauma.
