Military Deployment Felt throughout College Community

Author: Leyla Kattan

Middlebury College community members with relatives in the military gathered Friday for a non-political discussion revolving around the possible war in Iraq and how best to deal with ramifications of personnel buildup in the Persian Gulf.
Organized by the Office of the Chaplain and the Department of Human Resources, a small group of people attended the event to share their stories and offer support. Seated in a large circle, those in attendance spoke of any effects they were experiencing as a result of the military escalation.
The meeting offered individuals the chance to share their concerns and receive support and advice. Conversation focused on the difficulties families experience while coping with the emotional burdens of relatives on active duty and the loss of the primary bread-winner.
College Chaplain Laurel Jordan said, "The meeting was deliberately not about politics, but about personal connections." Benjamin Morris '03 added it is important to emphasize "the mere fact that an individual has accepted the duty to serve his or her country in no way allows one to draw conclusions about this individual's motivation to do so."
The aim was to bring together members of the small military community at Middlebury College and to help them establish an informal organization in which they can discuss issues that deeply affect them.