Doane University honored armed forces members and veterans with a Veteran’s Day Program on Monday, November 11, 2024 that more than 30 students and employees attended. Marine Corps veteran and former student Chet Bennetts was the guest speaker.
Bennetts, who met his future wife at Doane, shared the successes and challenges he experienced as a military and a veteran — and how the university impacted his journey.
Bennetts served for more than eight years both in active duty and as a reserve before he was medically discharged upon returning from Iraq in 2005. He continues to serve the military community as an on-demand Department of Defense contractor, offering free financial counseling and planning services to service members and their families. He’s currently working toward a doctorate degree in personal financial planning at Kansas State University.
“I hope that folks were able to walk away from this engagement with a better understanding of what challenges veterans face, while also realizing just how much of an impact our support can make,” Daniel Dibbern said.
As Doane’s Military and Veterans Service Specialist, Dibbern provides a lot of that immediate support to veterans and military service individuals who want to earn postsecondary degrees. It’s a unique role that shows how dedicated Doane is to the military community, Dibbern said.
The transition from military service to collegiate courses can be difficult, and the decision to enter the military or ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) while in college isn’t considered lightly. Dibbern takes extra care to be an efficient and reliable resource for future, active and former military members pursuing their dreams.
The support for military service and veterans at Doane extends beyond Dibbern, though. Bennetts experienced this during his time as a student at Doane.
“He [Bennetts] was not hesitant to name drop multiple individuals, several of whom are current or former Doane employees, when giving credit toward his own success,” Dibbern said of Bennett’s presentation.
Whether by official designation — Doane has maintained a “Veteran and Active Duty Supportive" designation from the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs since 2020 — or via friendly and proactive staff, Doane strives to be a military-friendly university.
