Meet Claude McDougal, a business major in his junior year at UNLV. His journey to becoming a Rebel has been shaped by his five years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, and an additional year in the inactive reserve. Here, as UNLV celebrates Veterans Day, McDougal reflects on the support he's received as a student veteran.
A Journey Into Service
Driven by his desire to provide for his family, McDougal left his first college venture to enlist in the Air Force. As he embarked on this new chapter at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training, there was an undeniable sense of fear. “It was a little fearful, I left college at the time and was trying to figure out how to take care of a young family,” McDougal said.
Service to Country and the Bonds Formed
McDougal worked as a crew chief on F-4 Phantom II fighter jets and served at various bases across the United States, including Seymour Johnson in North Carolina and Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.
“The relationships that I established were memorable,” McDougal said. “We all grew up in the service and it became a brotherhood and created lasting bonds for life.”
Being away from friends and extended family during his military service was undoubtedly challenging. “It was hard at first, but quickly you begin to realize that you would develop new friendships and a whole new family,” McDougal said. “Soon, you realize that everybody around you was your family when they had on a uniform.”
Transitioning from Service
As his service years came to an end, McDougal faced the intimidating prospect of returning to civilian life. The comfort of the military structure and the guarantees it provided were now left behind. “I was afraid that I couldn’t make it without all the guarantees that the military seem to offer,” McDougal said.
He returned to the civilian workforce to be able to provide for his family. And, when his kids were grown, he moved to Las Vegas at the beginning of the 2020 pandemic and worked at a golf club until he decided to go back to college. Having excelled in a paralegal program at Adams State University in 2019, McDougal saw the value in completing his education and becoming a lawyer.
UNLV: A Beacon of Support for Veterans
Being new to Las Vegas and having moved in the middle of a pandemic, McDougal didn’t know anyone at first. When he transitioned to life as a student at UNLV, the support he received helped him not only pursue his degree but also become involved in various student organizations, specifically the Rebel Vets and Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Society.
McDougal discovered a valuable resource in the Rebel Vets organization. This community of student veterans provided the support and camaraderie he had found in the military. “Ultimately I found the Rebel Vets, which has become my family and my home away from home,” McDougal said. “I decided to become a board member and served as director of special projects. Now, I have decided to run for our organization’s president position.”
Lessons from Service in the Classroom
The values instilled during his military service continue to benefit McDougal in the classroom. The discipline, determination, and the unwavering spirit not to give up have helped him excel in school. “What I learned was whatever one man can accomplish, so can another; so just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you will eventually make it to your destination,” McDougal said. “The service taught me that you don’t give up.”
The Road Ahead
As McDougal nears the completion of his business degree, he is eager to continue serving the community and giving back. “I have found the value of being able to serve our community and ways of giving back to be so rewarding that I would like to continue to do something that keeps me in that space. It just makes you feel good,” McDougal said.
Advice for Fellow Student Veterans
For other student veterans, McDougal offers this advice: "Love is your greatest and most powerful asset, it is the glue that keeps it all together. Stop by and see what’s happening in our small but powerful office and let the glue stick on you."
The Most Memorable Experience
Looking back on his time at UNLV, McDougal considers joining the Rebel Vets organization as the most rewarding and memorable experience. “I watch the work that they do and I’m just in awe, McDougal said. “They remind me that, with a little bit of love, anything is possible.”
McDougal sends a special thank you to the UNLV Military & Veteran Services Center (MVSC) team. “We have advocates like [MVSC Executive Director] Ross Bryant, and his wife Amy, who work as a team to bring awareness about veteran life to the community,” McDougal said. “We are armed with veterans like Dwayne Gordon, associate director of veteran outreach, who I watch spend countless hours listening, coaching, and encouraging fellow veterans to seek higher education despite the sometimes lonely periods of quiet depression and bouts with PTSD that so many veterans struggle with while trying to appear normal.”
Also, a thank you to the seasoned professionals, including Melissa Barber, associate director of certifying operations, Julie Kaeding, operations coordinator, and Madeline Anderson, school certifying official, who process thousands of veteran certifications each semester.
“To be honest, I don’t know how they do it all, I just know that it gets done every week, and they keep things running… We are just thankful and try not to take it for granted or get in the way because it’s what we, the Student Veterans of America, depend on to make ends meet while seeking higher education,” McDougal said.
