The recent heckling of former Army Sergeant Anthony Maschek by fellow students at Columbia University has brought up the question of how military veterans are being treated on college campuses.
Some in the media would like us to believe that college campuses, especially Ivy League schools, are unfriendly to vets. However, Maschek defended his school, saying that the heckling came from “a small number of individuals” and overall his time at Columbia University has been positive.
Veterans groups, like the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, denounced the hecklers behavior pointing out the need for faculty and students to respect those who are willing to fight to protect our liberties.
In Columbia's defense, it should be noted that the university has one of the largest chapters of the Student Veterans of America in the country. In addition, the university has a history of serving veterans dating back to end of World War II and the inception of the original GI Bill.
Separating hype from fact, especially in emotional issues like this, is a challenge. But, the question remains, are college campuses a hot bed for hatred towards the military, or was this simply a case of "a small number of individuals" sounding off?
As a veteran, how have you been treated by faculty and students on campus?
