When serving in Iraq for the U.S. Army, P.J. Earl said it was difficult to stay motivated at the end of his deployment.
The chemistry junior and active member of the ASU Veterans Club served abroad for one year, and his unit received letters of encouragement four months before they were scheduled to return home.
“For me it was a really good motivation,” he said. “We got them around Christmas time … Kind of gave me a little push to keep me going on to the end.”
In honor of Veterans Day, the ASU Veterans Club hosted a weeklong letter writing campaign on all four ASU campuses to encourage students to send letters to men and women serving overseas.
The letters will be sent at random and could be delivered to any person in any branch of military.
Biology junior Jessica Rau submitted a letter so the troops would know people respect them and are grateful for what they do for us.
“I said, ‘Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you know we’re thankful for you here. Be safe and keep the good work up,’” Rau said.
ASU Veterans Club President and interdisciplinary studies junior Keith Finkle empathizes with the men and women serving in the military after serving two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Army.
When Finkle was deployed overseas, he distinctly remembered receiving letters from a third grade class.
“Just getting that little touch from home benefits you and it motivates you while you’re overseas,” he said. “I would like to do the same for the people who are serving now — where I was once before.”
Finkle said he’d like to tell the troops who are currently deployed the same thing he’d tell his friends who are also serving abroad.
“Stay positive, stay motivated, do the best you can and we’re waiting for you when you get home,” Finkle said. “(There’s a) high-five and a pat on the back waiting for you.”
Marketing junior Courtney Schreiner wrote of her thankfulness and pride for the troops’ work.
“I think it’s important because they’re fighting for us and not just themselves, obviously,” she said. “It’s important for them to know that we still care about them and are thinking about them.”
While the club has no set goal in number of letters to be collected, Finkle said the Club hopes to collect as many as possible.
Their goal instead was to raise awareness so troops can come home and enjoy the same benefits current ASU Veterans Club members are enjoying now, he said.
“We want students at ASU knowing part of their population is a veteran community and that we do still have a war going on,” Finkle said. “We want people to be aware of the fact that there are men and women fighting.”
Reach the reporter at kmmandev@asu
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