MY AGGIE STORY
Student Veteran Shares Why, Motivation as a VALOR Peer Leader
DEFENDER OF FREEDOM - Dakota Kridler '22 stands in front of the U.S. Army painting from the "Defenders of Freedom" series by local artist Benjamin Knox '90. The series is displayed at the entrance to the Veteran Resource and Support Center. Dakota served in the Army from 2012 to 2017 as an infantryman during the Inherent Resolve Campaign. The series of seven paintings depicts notable and important aspects of each branch of the military, with the final painting focusing on the transition of service members from service through college and into civilian life and careers.
By Veronica Gonzalez Hoff, Division of Student Affairs
Student veteran Dakota Kridler ‘22 became a VALOR peer leader because he truly enjoys the selfless service of helping others and really wanted to help improve how VALOR is supporting his fellow Aggie veterans. He and others at the Don and Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center (VRSC) have worked to expand the Veteran Aggie Leaders for Outreach and Resources (VALOR) program into what it is now.
VALOR helps facilitate the transition process for incoming student veterans at Texas A&M University. It is a peer-led outreach and empowerment program that connects incoming students with current student veterans. The program consists of trained and certified student veteran peer leaders like Dakota who create personalized cohorts for new student veterans that focus on personal, academic, financial and professional development.
“We completely revamped the program to help veterans achieve job security and job satisfaction which is the ultimate goal for the majority of veterans that attend college,” Dakota explained. “We're finding out what their strengths and talents are. Then we introduce them to people with the same strengths and talents within the Aggie community to help them find their place.”
Dakota was introduced to VALOR as a new transfer student veteran at Texas A&M, but disregarded it initially. He felt sure he didn’t need the extra support and admitted to being headstrong about it. He eventually gave the program a chance and chose to get further involved after he saw the immense value and support it has provided.
Dakota was experiencing a loss of direction after his time in the U.S. Army, but the VALOR program helped him discover what his talents and strengths were and helped him set goals. From there, Dakota has made connections with those in the aerospace community to find his career focus.
Aside from being a peer leader, Dakota is also an undergraduate research assistant at the Vehicle Systems and Control Laboratory at the RELLIS campus while he pursues his degree in aerospace engineering.
“I feel like I made the right choice,” he shared. “I feel like now I know how to use what I'm given to make it fit me and I can use this degree to put me somewhere where I stand out.”
Dakota served in the Army from 2012 to 2017 as an infantryman during the Inherent Resolve Campaign. He is originally from Middletown, Indiana, but moved to Texas with his wife to start a family after his time in the Army. Dakota had heard so many good things about Texas from fellow servicemembers and decided it would be a good place to start a family.
When Dakota decided to return to school, he discovered his SAT scores had expired. He started his college career at Blinn College and then transferred to Texas A&M after two years. The VRSC admissions counselors were vital in helping Dakota make connections to get prepared for the aerospace engineering program application process.
The most valuable advice Dakota got from experienced engineers was to simply get involved and he wants to see his fellow student veterans do the same. He has seen the value and impact of getting involved on campus and in the community.
SELFLESS SERVICE - Dakota Kridler '22 values getting involved on campus and in the community and wants to see his fellow Aggie veterans do the same, which is why he volunteers at the Veteran Resource and Support Center.
“They said, ‘the one thing I wish I did was participate in the activities that were presented.’ Which is why I volunteer at the VRSC. If I didn't know that, I wouldn't be here,” he said. “I would have just gotten my degree and I would have no experiences.”
To learn more about resources available through the VRSC, visit aggieveterans.tamu.edu. If you are interested in participating in VALOR as a new or incoming student veteran, you can complete the VALOR Contact Form. If you are a student veteran interested in becoming a VALOR peer leader, contact SGM Don Freeman, USA (Ret.), assistant director of the VRSC.