New president opportunity for re-evaluation of ideals

Editor,

In combat overseas, I witnessed young men and women dying in front of me for the ideals they believed in. In the classroom here at home, I have faced the challenges of both defining my military experience and seeking an education based on learning from people with different backgrounds.

At the University of New Mexico, I believe we have an opportunity as leaders to learn from our unique experiences, clarify the ideals that we intend to embody and improve as an institution of higher education.

I have been diagnosed with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), the signature injuries of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But that does not mean that I or any other military veteran are disabled from living our lives, excelling in our pursuit of education or building relationships founded on character.

In fact, our returning veterans are normal for any human being that has endured a traumatic event and lived through a period of time marked by mental or physical sacrifice.

Our news headlines continue to capture the worst in humanity, horrific events and tragic stories all over the world. But that does not mean that we should adopt negative stereotypes and expect the worst behavior from a group of people that may be different from us, such as our military veterans.

Veterans are just like any other demographic group that faces human challenges (such as drugs, alcohol, violence and crime) but they are unique in their training, diversity, team-building experience and resiliency.

As a student veteran at UNM, I have learned that injustice against any group must be recognized, lessons of the past must be remembered and we must seek reconciliation instead of conflict.

Now as we welcome our new UNM president, Dr. Robert G. Frank, we as a community have an opportunity to revisit our educational mission and clarify the ideals that we intend to embody every day.  
We can continue to learn a great deal from the experiences of different people, and not simply rely on misguided interpretations, limited stereotypes and failed ideologies of the past.

If we truly believe in the ideals of education, in freedom and in justice, (the same ideals many people before us have sacrificed for) then we must practice it every day for all people—not just for ourselves or people like us.

Andres F. Lazo
UNM student
military veteran