On November 12, Swarthmore faculty and staff gathered for the Third Annual Veterans Day Panel Discussion, “What Does it Mean to Serve?”. Participants explored how each veteran’s experience shaped their understanding of community and what it means to be of service.

The panelists, most of whom belong to the Veterans at Swarthmore Employee Resource Group (ERG), represented several branches of the military and service eras. But the common ground they share includes their personal transformations while serving.

Director of Public Safety Mike Hill, who served in the Army Reserve for 25 years, said that experience shaped his ongoing commitment to service in other areas of his life.

“The military teaches you a lot about service, not just to your country, but to others — whether it’s cleaning up a community or supporting a cause,” Hill said. "Even now, in my role here at Swarthmore, I still consider myself in service."

For Associate Vice President for Sustainable Facilities Operation and Capital Planning Andy Feick, who served in the Army during peacetime, the sense of duty and community he gained was life-changing.

“I grew up in a family that wasn’t particularly service-oriented, but the military instilled in me a deep sense of service, a connection to something bigger than myself,” said Feick, who went on to serve on the boards of and volunteer with community organizations and coach youth sports.

Associate Professor of Philosophy Krista Thomason moderated the conversation, which also delved into how military service can reshape personal identity through becoming part of a collective. Mary Huissen, assessment and user experience librarian, said her experience of serving in the Army helped to broaden her sense of self.

“I quickly learned how the military strips away individual identity,” said Huissen. “In basic training, you’re no longer you — you’re part of something larger. It teaches you how to work together despite differences, creating a unity that is hard to replicate anywhere else.”

One of the most poignant aspects of the discussion centered on the lasting friendships forged during service.

“We check in with each other every Veterans Day, send messages just to see how everyone’s doing,” Hill said. “Those friendships are for life.”

For many of the panelists, the military’s sense of community has been a touchstone in their lives. Help Desk Supervisor Christina Webster recalled the unexpected bond she built with a fellow sailor in the Navy.

“I never would have become friends with him in civilian life, but in the military, we connected over shared experiences and challenges,” said Webster, who enlisted during Operation Desert Storm. “That bond was something special.”

Despite the strong sense of community during military service, the transition back to civilian life can be jarring. A Swarthmore student in the audience referenced Sebastian Junger's Tribe, which posited that post-tramautic stress disorder can be more about the places veterans are returning to than the ones they returned from.

Finding that same sense of belonging after service, especially in a culture that often struggles to understand the nuances of military life, is challenging, the panelists agreed.

“The military is purpose-driven, everyone is working toward a common goal,” said Feick. “But in the civilian world, it’s more fragmented, people are more isolated.”

Dominic Tierney, Claude C. Smith ’14 Professor of Political Science, noted the impact of this isolation on veterans.

“Many veterans return from service and feel isolated in civilian society,” he said. “The bonds they share with their fellow service members are deep and enduring, but once back home, they often find themselves disconnected. The military can create a community with a shared mission, something many civilians don’t experience.”

As part of the discussion, Jordan Landes, curator of the Friends Historical Library, and Sahr Conway-Lanz, curator of the Peace Collection, presented service-related materials from the College’s collections. These included two Swarthmore Bulletin articles on College veterans, a student newsletter published during World War II, and a minute from a Quaker meeting that recognized the service of its members who were in the military as well as members who were part of the Reconstruction Corps.

The panel discussion ended with a conversation on the gap in understanding between veterans and the broader College community, especially in light of Swarthmore’s strong association with the Quaker values of pacifism and nonviolence. Feick acknowledged the gap while highlighting the opportunity for greater understanding.

“It’s about having a dialogue, and that’s where the real connection can happen,” said Feick, adding that a student from a military family approached him after a previous Veterans Day event to tell him they felt seen.

“That’s the kind of impact these conversations can have,” Feick said. “If we could talk openly about our experiences, people would realize that we share more than we think.”