Ohio student veterans honor 100-year-old veteran, Legionnaire
Legiontown.org photo

Ohio student veterans honor 100-year-old veteran, Legionnaire

When World War II Army veteran and Legionnaire Dennis Schone arrived at the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash campus on Oct. 25, to visit with student veterans, a surprise was waiting for him. A table near the student café celebrated his 100th birthday which was three days later – it was filled with over 40 handmade birthday cards from student veterans and balloons.

“I was really surprised; it was very nice,” said Schone, a member of American Legion Post 630 in Blue Ash. “Those students were very kind.”

As Schone sat at the decorated table to interact with student veterans about The American Legion as part of Post 630’s monthly initiative on campus, he received birthday wishes from students, the university’s dean, many professors, and staff from the Veterans Affairs Office on campus.

“I enjoyed it very much,” Schone said.

The relationship between the Student Veterans Affairs Office on campus and American Legion Post 630 has been successful since its start in 2018 – an initiative by Pat Buschmann, an Army veteran and graduate of University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash who wanted to engage with younger veterans.

Members of Post 630 visit the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash campus once a month. They set up an information table where student veterans, faculty and staff can learn about The American Legion, Post 630’s involvement with veterans and the community, and how Post 630 members may be of assistance. As part of these monthly visits, Ohio American Legion Department Service Officer Beth Schroeder is there to speak with student veterans about their VA benefits.

“If they have problems or questions they have an immediate American Legion veterans service coordinator person right there,” Buschmann said. “She can help them, which I think is valuable. This way it’s on their turf; they are not trying to find their way through the VA medical center.”

Buschmann said students will stop by the table and share how their grandparents served or was a member of The American Legion. “And I think that’s a good thing. I don’t think the veteran community is very much in the public eye like it used to be,” she said, reflecting back of when she grew up and the presence of veterans and their service during the Vietnam War era. “So I think it’s good for these students to see that there are real people behind that word.”

The relationship between Post 630 and the student veterans has expanded under the leadership of Josh Monson, program manager of the Veterans Affairs Office at the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash. Monson is the one who engaged the student veterans to create handmade birthday cards for Schone.  

“In regards to our relationship with Post 630, I can’t imagine doing what I do without them,” said Monson, a Marine veteran. “The most important thing I do at UC is mentor veterans, but I am only one person. Having my friends from the Legion appear on campus further supports my work and provides a visual representation of our communities commitment to service and commitment to one another.”

Post 630 now is a part of a:

- Student veteran welcome luncheon in the fall

- Student veteran family picnic in the spring (Post 630 helps with the cooking and members sit with the veteran and their families.)

- Patriot Day ceremony on Sept. 11 where they provide the honor guard

“If there is one idea that my student veterans can walk away from college with, it is the meaning of their service. Especially during times like now, as we close the chapter on our countries longest war,” Monson said. “These (Legionnaires) are folks who have been through this phase of life as a veteran, and they are here sharing that wisdom, making their services available and reminding these younger veterans that they are not alone. Reminding these younger veterans that their service doesn’t end when they take off the uniform.”   

The post also provides coffee supplies monthly for the student Veteran Lounge. “That again puts us in their lounge and visiting with them,” Buschmann said. “You can see the result of us being there by the fact of how they treated Dennis.”

Monson added that when Buschmann, her husband Dave, an Army veteran and Post 630 member, and others “give their time to be available to students on campus, a strong message resonates throughout our community. Sure, each month they bring coffee supplies for our Veterans Lounge. The students know where that is coming from and they appreciate it, but what matters most to them is that Pat and Dave are there. They are taking their time to be available to the students, and meeting them where they are on campus. They epitomize service to others, and that is what my veterans need to see.”

The monthly visits on campus have helped the student veterans navigate their VA benefits, and understand who The American Legion is and how Post 630 may be of assistance, even if it hasn’t necessarily resulted in new members.

“We think it’s worth doing; even if only two people stop by (the information table),” Buschmann said. “They may not join now but they may join later. These are young people, they’re trying to work, they’re trying to go to school, they may have young families … they just don’t see it in their life to have time to go to a meeting. But if you’re there being friendly and just saying hi, they might remember that down the line.

Overall, Buschmann feels the relationship between Post 630 and the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash student veterans has been “really good.” And Monson agrees. 

“My hope is that we continue cultivating this relationship to increase greater participation from the younger veterans,” Monson said. “I often remind them that their veteran education benefits are a direct result of advocates like The American Legion, and their time is coming to take up the guidon and continue the work for our next generation of veterans.”