Ennis Rios ’19 ’21 knew he’d never go to college. In fact, he didn’t even finish high school. Instead, in 1999, he enlisted in the Navy. For 15 years, he served as an information systems technician, specializing in computer, radio and satellite communications—a vital skill set that often found him accompanying Navy SEALS on high-stakes missions.

While stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, Rios met civilian contractor Ambyr Acton ’09, who would become his wife. Acton challenged him about his lack of education. Although still intimidated by the thought of college, Rios decided to give it a try.

With a pipedream of attending Texas A&M, he sought out the VRSC. Military admissions counselor and adviser Karen Allen answered his call. He was blown away by the amount of time she visited with him and by the advice she shared. “This staff member at this well-respected university who had never met me was already invested in my success,” he said.

A year and a half later, at the age of 37, Rios entered Texas A&M as a geographic information science and technology major. He not only took advantage of the camaraderie, support and financial assistance of the VRSC, but also joined the Corps of Cadets’ Delta Company, comprised of military veterans. Ultimately, he became deputy Corps commander in an effort to mentor young cadets who were constantly seeking his advice.

Rios received his bachelor’s degree in the spring and is now pursuing a master’s degree in water management and hydrological science. A doctorate, he said, might even be on the horizon. “Every few weeks, I catch myself staring at my Texas A&M diploma on the wall,” he said. “It’s just incredible.”

From his days in Iraq as an Army combat medic to his ultimate goal of becoming a state congressman, Nethaniel Gjesdal ’18 ’20 does not shy away from a challenge. As indicated by his decision to pursue not one, but two Texas A&M degrees, he’s also resolute about making a plan and determining what it will take to get there.

So, when the Louisiana native decided to leave active duty in 2012 after six years as an 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper, he moved to San Antonio, got a job, enrolled in community college and immediately began researching veteran-friendly universities.

He landed on Texas A&M. “What strongly attracted me was the way Texas A&M treats student veterans in comparison to other schools,” he said.

To cope with the challenges of transitioning from military to academic life, Gjesdal immersed himself in VRSC support. This assistance came in myriad forms, from the social support of the Aggie Veteran Network to the financial support of the Aggie Shields textbook loan program. He also served as president of the university’s Student Veterans Association, which works closely with the VRSC.

“The VRSC is the hub for any of your needs,” Gjesdal, now 31, said. “You walk in there with a question and you leave with an answer, a phone number or a contact name. That’s just what they do.”

Gjesdal earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2018. He is now working toward a Master of Public Service and Administration at the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Ask Coast Guard veteran Stephen Lozier ’19, and he’ll readily tell you that the challenge of transitioning from military to academic life lies in the small changes it entails: picking out clothes other than uniforms, trying to determine the degree of formality preferred by individual professors and trading in rigidly structured days for largely unscheduled ones. That’s not to mention the stress of going from steady employment to life without a paycheck, or the long hours focused on catching up with classmates who came directly from undergraduate engineering programs.

“At first, it was a really tough adjustment,” Lozier, 29, said of his first semester pursuing a master’s degree in industrial engineering. “There were a lot of stringent academic and etiquette skills I had to relearn when I entered Texas A&M.”

Thankfully, he said, the door to the VRSC is always open and staffed by those who help him find answers to any and all questions.

A native of Houston, Lozier graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in operations research. For two years, he served as a deck watch officer involved in counter-human-trafficking and counter-drug operations in the Western Pacific. This was followed by a year completing security missions in the Middle East as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon returning to the states, Lozier was stationed in Galveston, where he captained his own ship and led safety, search and rescue, and border operations.

Lozier’s long-term goal is to earn an MBA and become an industrial engineer in the corporate world. In the meantime, he is focused on three short-term goals: graduating, getting married and restoring his vintage Harley Davidson.

When Keefer Patterson ’18 ’20 traded in military life for academic life, he also traded in British life for life back in the states.

As an aviation maintenance technician for the KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft, Patterson spent close to four years in the U.S. Air Force stationed at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in Suffolk, England.

By the time Patterson entered Texas A&M, he was a 24-year-old with little idea of what he wanted to do. Based on his interests, advisers in the VRSC suggested he major in agricultural communications and journalism. The combination of science classes with writing, photojournalism and leadership-focused courses turned out to be a perfect fit.

The VRSC’s role in Patterson’s college life continued long after he chose a major. It was the “go-to” place to get answers. It also helped him financially, from its Aggie Shields textbook loan program to scholarship and study abroad support. In a nutshell, he said, the VRSC staff frequently stepped in “as a lifeline or a guideline.”

“The VRSC staff know what you need because they know what you’ve been through,” he continued. “We’re all a big family.”

After attaining his bachelor’s degree, Patterson’s longtime admiration of retired Air Force Gen. Mark Welsh III inspired him to continue his education at Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service, where Welsh is now dean. As a Master of Public Service and Administration student, Patterson hopes to eventually work in security policy or national defense.

As a Marine Corps intelligence analyst, Staff Sgt. Dawn Bybee ’19 knows firsthand the importance of fully understanding complicated—and often foreign—languages and cultures. This was true both when she was deployed to Afghanistan and when she began contemplating a college education.

“It’s intimidating to go to a new unit when you’re in the Marine Corps, but you generally know what to expect,” she explained. “In going to college, though, you don’t know what to expect. It’s important to have someone who can translate the college experience.”

So, when the California native’s college search led her to Texas A&M and its VRSC, she had a strong feeling where she would land. At the VRSC, she said, “they speak my language.”

Bybee, 29, is attending Texas A&M thanks to the Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Program, which enables her to retain her active duty status and income. She is also the recipient of one of the VRSC’s major scholarships. Bybee plans to graduate in December with a university studies degree in religious thought, practices and cultures.

While at Texas A&M, Bybee trains with Naval ROTC members in the Corps of Cadets and helps teach military courses. Mentoring these young cadets, she said, is among the highlights of her college experience.

When she returns to her Marine Corps career full time, Bybee will do so as a newly commissioned officer with a new outlook for her future. “Through my years in the Marine Corps, I’ve found that officers with a college degree are the most respected and receive the most leadership opportunities,” she said. “Now, I’ll be one of them.”