MSU hosts Rudy Reyes for Veterans Day

MSU hosted Marine veteran and actor Rudy Reyes on Veterans Day for an event focused on military service, mental health and highlighting the resources available to local veterans. 

During his address, Reyes spoke to students and community members about the challenges he faced during his upbringing and career. He emphasized the importance of supporting veterans through their transition from active duty to civilian life, and applauded MSU and the Travis W. Atkins Veteran Support Center (VSC) for the resources provided to veterans. 

Reyes discussed his transition out of the Marine Corps and his suicide attempt after leaving the service. He described a religious presence that ultimately saved him from taking his own life.

“If it can happen to a highly trained and experienced special forces operator, it can happen to anybody,” he said. 

This year's Veterans Day talk took nearly nine months to plan, according to Todd Bucher, director of veterans services at the VSC. Bucher coordinated with the Marine Corps League, a Marine-centered veteran support service, to bring Reyes to campus. 

Bucher said the goal was to choose a speaker who could address the ongoing needs of veterans as they transition out of military life. “When you leave the service, the uniform comes off, but the service is still ongoing,” he said.

According to Bucher, the VSC is designed to assist veterans with the unique challenges they face after serving. “We want to make sure we’re there for them with whatever they need,” he said.

The VSC serves student-veterans, dependents and military-connected students across the Gallatin Valley, which has more than 6,500 veterans — the highest concentration in Montana, according to Bucher. 

“The [VSC] offers free tutoring, printing, computer access, quiet study areas and community activities,” he said. These activities include partnerships with local organizations such as Warriors in Quiet Waters, Talons Reach Foundation, Big Sky Bravery and the Bozeman Help Center.

For Alexander Reed, a sophomore agriculture education major and Navy veteran, the availability of these resources influenced his decision to attend MSU. “I talked with the people in the [VSC] and was like, ‘OK, this is where I need to be,’” Reed said. 

He said he uses the VSC’s tutoring and study spaces regularly. “[Bucher] and John, who run that office, are phenomenal. [The VSC is] a spot where vets can collect together, take a breather and decompress," Reed said.

He added that the wider veteran community on campus provides a sense of connection he has not found anywhere else. “There’s nothing like the veteran community, and there’s nothing like the center they’ve set up at the school,” he said.

Reed said he hopes more students without military backgrounds attend events like Reyes’ talk and engage with the new Veterans Park on campus. 

“A lot of people don’t really know what military service means,” he said. “Showing up to events like this and learning is important. We’re people, you can talk to us.”

To find out more about the VSC, visit https://www.montana.edu/veteran/.