Veteran Interviews

Interview with Amanda Terrill

"[Confidence means] you should do things your own way, even if it doesn't feel right at the time."

"Interviewing Veteran Amanda Terrill was a really inspiring and eye-opening experience. Listening to her stories offered me insight into the unique challenges and experiences faced by women who serve in the military. Her perspectives on the military experience were valuable for understanding the complexities of military culture, especially as a woman. She has experienced firsthand the rigors of military life including the difficulties transitioning back into civilian life. Her advice, 'being confident that you should do things your own way even if it doesn’t feel right at the time,' can not only be applied to a woman's life in the Navy but also mine, and I was really inspired, as someone who has passions in male-dominated fields. I appreciate Amanda's willingness to share her stories with me, giving me a glimpse into her world and the sacrifices she has made for our nation. Her service to our country inspires me, and I am in awe of her dedication and commitment."

—Elizabeth Wiley, Organizer

Interview with Colonel Egan

"You don’t realize it, but you’re somebody’s hero...so don't do anything to let them down."

"From our interview with Colonel Egan, I learned about life as an American in the 20th century, what it meant to be in the military at the time, some of the most memorable parts of serving in the military, and how to get involved with Veterans in the community. I discovered that in the late 1900s, pursuing a military career was honorable, which is why many young men, like Colonel Egan, joined the armed forces. I also found out that there are some aspects of the military that can have a great effect on one's personal life, such as bravery and camaraderie. Lastly, I learned that researching and talking with other people from the military can allow students to get more involved. I think that this interview was overall very enjoyable and informative."

—Devansh Wariyar

"[Colonel Egan] taught us all valuable lessons about life in the military and the opportunities we can create for our futures. With the military comes a family that grows together and protects each other. With this family you share everything; from food to personal letters, everyone helps make everyone else feel like family. However, brotherhood and sisterhood are not the only benefits to being in the military. After one serves their time in the military, these connections make it possible to get numerous jobs and other opportunities. The health coverage from the government is also a great benefit. Colonel Egan stated that joining the military was honorable back during Vietnam. But with true gratitude, we, the American people, believe every Veteran and active service member is the most honorable of us all, and we thank them for everything they have done for us. Thank you, Colonel Egan, for taking the time to talk to us students and tell your story." 

—Conner Spink

Interview with Commandant Swain

"Bravery is an outcome of fear."

A Marine Corps Veteran who retired in the 1980's, Commandant William Swain has since committed to assisting active duty Marines and other Veterans in their transition back to civilian life. But he didn't always imagine himself in this line of work: in fact, Commandant Swain originally joined the service when he was just seventeen to potentially jumpstart his aspirations as a mechanic. Deployed in Japan for a year to live by himself, he was quickly forced to correct his initial assumptions about military service. "At the time, I didn't know serving meant serving in a war," he admitted in hindsight. 

Despite joining the military without friends by his side, Commandant Swain had no problem recalling stories of camaraderie in the Marine Corps. "People were from all over the world," he said of his fellow servicemen in Japan. One particular nickname stuck with a man from Nebraska, who happened to be 6'8": "Tiny." It is clear that the Marines' tightknit bond has persevered even decades after their service. Commandant Swain reiterated the sentiment that "we're all green, we're all Marines," no matter the race or background. "I wish people would feel the same way today," he told SPV members wistfully, referring to America's all-too-common racial and class divides.

When asked about a notable trait that helped him throughout his military career, Commandant Swain reflected for a moment. Is it bravery that every serviceman and woman possesses? "I don't believe people feel bravery," he answered finally. "You might be called brave for your actions, but bravery is an outcome of fear." Surrounded by dangerous and sensitive aviation equipment as part of his job, Commandant Swain described feeling fear candidly everyday. "But you just have to grind through it. We were all pretty young and scared...but we still did it." 

To conclude our interview, we asked Commandant Swain about steps we could take to help active-duty Veterans transition back to their communities as well. "Just keep reminding each other," he said. "Remind each other of the sacrifices many people took for our country," including the tragedy of September 11th. He recalled watching the spirit of America's courageous soldiers on that day slowly fade from public view, and encouraged our club to continue spreading the messages and stories of Veterans far and wide. His own message for students and civilians everywhere? "We all have a part in this."

—Naomi Ling

Interview with Colonel Michael Jackson

"The military doesn't define me...but I'm proud to be a part of it."

In February 2022, 17 SPV members across 4 states took the initiative to interview Colonel Mike Jackson, an Active-Duty service member who recently began transitioning back into civilian life. 

Interview with Commander Shelby Rogers

A retired commander relays his courage—on and off the field

In May 2021, 13 members of the SPV Club had the honor of interviewing Commander Shelby Rogers virtually. 

"Commander Shelby is an amazing Veteran. To me, the most notable thing about his service was just how many places he served. He was active in Thailand, Vietnam, and Germany, which I think is unbelievable. From what he said, I could tell that he didn’t have the most intense military job, but he made sure to explain that the military is all about cooperation, so all jobs were of the same importance. Commander Shelby is also a very humble person. He is very easy to get along with, and seems very eager to share his stories, which is a wonderful trait for a Veteran. He closed the interview with tips for students that want to support and bring light to the stories of veterans: the best thing you can do is to just ask questions and join organizations, if you can. It is very important to honor the veterans that served our country." 

—Justin Blackman

Interview with Mr. Berlett

A former Air Traffic Controller recalls testaments to his bravery

Interview with Mr. Tom Glenn

The fall of Saigon: He lived through it. Now he's writing about it.

In December 2019, several members of the SPV Club interviewed Tom Glenn—author of several novels, musician, and combatant. Mr. Glenn has spoken 7 languages in his lifetime, presented many public speeches about his time in war, and has a degree in music. He has written and spoken especially about the fall of Saigon, where he rescued 43 people from a city that was surrounded by the North Vietnamese troops. Our club also asked him about the lessons he learned while gathering information for the US, and his messages for future generations of kids and teens. Here, our members share a summary of what they’ve learned from Mr. Glenn. 

“Throughout our interview with Mr. Glenn, one message struck me as especially significant. He said that no matter what, a person should not abandon their comrades/peers once they have received the help. This is true in times of war, friendship, and times of need. For example, in multiple cases, the US simply abandoned their allies who had fought by their side. He stressed to always ‘put the other guy ahead of you,’ which meant to think of others before yourself. Mr. Glenn has learned this previously in combat, when he watched the brave soldiers beside him sacrifice their lives for their comrades, and their country. ‘I just stood there and saw the courage in their eyes,’ he emotionally recalled." 

“In his time of service, Mr. Glenn’s experiences shaped him into a man of courage and selflessness. When asked if he felt fear at any point, he responded, ‘I was scared, of course. But protecting the guys next to me kept me going. All the time.’ To Tom Glenn, the most important thing a human can do is ‘the thing you can do for someone else.’ It is about how you can influence the community around you positively and survive hardships to save others." 

Interview with Mr. Brown

A Marine Corps Veteran, campaigner, and leader

The date is April 7th, 2019. My club and I call the veteran’s number, waiting patiently with our questions ready. He picks up, and I introduce the Students Partner with Veterans Club—how we connect students with war heroes in Howard County using events such as interviews with the veterans, school presentations, and more. 

Then, I ask him to introduce himself. “My name is Josh Brown,” he replies. When he was on duty, Mr. Brown served as an aircraft maintenance officer in the Marine Corps. He attended officer school for ten weeks, and then transferred to boot camp before he was ready to be a Marine. From there, he started in the fleet.

Next, another club member asks if he can tell a story of camaraderie between fellow soldiers. Mr. Brown pauses for a second, and then wistfully recounts the time he and his team were in charge of 800 pieces of equipment. They had several hours to make them ready to use, to support the countless operations of the Marines. This was an arduous task, but he and his fellow Marines came together to make a plan.

Mr. Brown then tells us about a story that will inspire students. He says that it’s important to understand that everyone comes from different walks of life, with unique life experiences, strengths, and weaknesses. Realizing that everyone has something to put on the table is a key role to becoming a leader. 

Finally, Mr. Brown ends with a message for future generations of students and teens—don’t be afraid to greet veterans you see around Howard County. Most likely, they’ll be thrilled that you’ve taken the time to acknowledge their service. 

—Naomi Ling

Interview with Colonel Benton

Recently retired veteran details his experience as a Marine Corps pilot

On September 2nd, I had the honor of interviewing Colonel Benton, a respected Veteran who fought as a pilot in the Marine Corps for 26 years.

To start our interview, Colonel Benton explained his background. He was raised in Georgia and joined the Marine Corps in 1991. After his retirement in 2017, Colonel Benton now resides in Clarksville with two daughters in high school and actively participates in veteran events and activities in the community. 

Colonel Benton had several stories to share. I first asked him to tell a story of courage that he’d experienced or heard of. Colonel Benton told us of a young female Marine who had recently had a child. “The Marine Corps had a rule… because she had a baby, she could stay home,” he said. “I thought that was a good story of moral courage because she decided to deploy with her fellow Marines… she didn’t want to leave her people.” He went on to say how the first few months were hard for the Marine, to leave her young child. But the fact that this strong Marine was able to take charge among difficult times is very courageous indeed. 

Next, we asked if he could share a story of conquering an obstacle. “As a senior leader in the military,” replied Colonel Benton, “many people may think it’s easy to accomplish things.” However, in most deployments, leadership doesn’t just require giving orders. “In a squadron, taking 250 Marines and $100 million worth of equipment overseas… is a big obstacle.” Keeping the people alive and equipment intact was not an easy task, but “every time we deployed, we were successful.” 

For a story of camaraderie, Colonel Benton tells us about how all Marines stop and pay respect on the Marine Corps’ birthday, November 10th. “Once, in 1998, we were doing an exercise in Korea and one of the engines had a problem… so we got stuck in Korea,” said the Colonel. “It was cold, we didn’t have much sport… but on the Marine Corps’ birthday, one of the Marines came into the hangar with birthday cake. We sang the Marine Corps hymn and ate cake.” This happened again in Afghanistan, with a much-deserved barbecue for the Marines. 

Finally, the Colonel left students and adults alike with an important message. “There’s more to you than your grades.” Going to prestigious schools, he said, only demonstrates academic success. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have integrity, the ability to work with others, and more. “These days, there is lots of pressure on grades and GPAs. But if you have skills like character and compassion,” you’ll be able to get very far in life. 

—Naomi Ling

Interview with Colonel Schott

A centenarian WWII Veteran with tenacity and grit

On April 18th, I had the honor of interviewing Colonel Schott, an honored 97-year-old Veteran who fought bravely leading his fellow Marines in World War II, namely in the Battles of Peleliu, Okinawa, and New Brittan. He now resides in Columbia and actively participates in veterans programs and presentations. 

Colonel Schott recounted several stories that he and his fellow Marines experienced, all of which had a moving theme. When I asked him if he would share a tale of courage, he paused for a few seconds and expressed some wistfulness in remembering his comrades. He told us of Captain Carlton Rouh, a First Lieutenant back then, who risked his life to save two other Marines on Peleliu Island. “He threw himself on a hand grenade to save their lives. He covered it with his body,” the Colonel recalled. Captain Rouh was the only Marine to survive the grenade. 

I then requested to hear a story of unity or cooperation. Immediately, the Colonel replied, “We’re a team. That’s what the Marines are…we probably had the most complicated military operations. [Cooperation] was in our daily training. So it’s done everyday in every operation.” That seems like what any team should say. 

Finally, I concluded by asking, “What message would you like to share with future generations of students and teens?” The Colonel nodded and said, “I would like to let them know of the beauty of sacrifices people make in the time of war. And not only of the people who go off into foreign countries to fight, but also of the people at home.” He explained that particularly in World War II, everybody had “a piece of the action.” Civilians at home rationed food and sent care packages to the soldiers. “We couldn’t do our job without the people at home,” he added. “I would like to think that the coming generations can… maintain our kind of motivation… while doing things that are tough or [undesirable]. There are things greater than life. Always have courage.” 

We might think about ourselves sometimes, but we should step aside for a change and think about how we can help the world. When we fail, that loss is not worth our attention. If you find yourself struggling to keep up with the latest trends, stop and think about something else that is meaningful. Even though the majority of us may not experience half the things Colonel Schott did, we can still apply his advice to our everyday lives. 

—Naomi Ling