The Stalwart Battalion at Syracuse University can trace its roots back to the earliest days of Syracuse University’s historic commitment to veterans. During World War I the Student Army Training Corps, which was the precursor to today’s Reserve Officer Training Corps, began educating students for crucial roles in military service.
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Hometown Hero: Jurgen Baeza Bernal
Jurgen Baeza Bernal was born and raised in San Diego, California. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on February 16, 2016, and served for six years and ten months as an Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment) (AME). His expertise was in maintaining and inspecting the ejection seats of F/A-18F Super Hornets, ensuring their functionality and the safety of the pilots. Jurgen’s responsibilities included removing, inspecting, and reinstalling ejection seats, as well as replacing expired explosive components crucial for emergency ejections. Throughout his career, he upheld the highest standards of precision and accountability in his work.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero – Joseph Creager
United States Army Staff Sergeant Joseph Creager was born in Chicago, and hails from Land in Lakes, Illinois. He enlisted in the Army in 2013 as an Infantryman and served as a Scout/Sniper for 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry (Airborne) at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska from 2013-2017. Staff Sergeant Creager later served as a Stryker Commander and Fire Team Leader at 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero: Mykala Keckeisen
United States Navy Mass Communications Specialist 2nd (MC2) Class Mykala Keckeisen was born and raised in the city of Madison, Wisconsin. She enlisted in the United States Navy and attended Recruit Training Command (RTC), Great Lakes, Illinois in December 2020. Following RTC, MC2 Keckeisen spent seven months at the Defense Information School in Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. MC2 Keckeisen graduated in the top five in her class and after completing “A” school, she arrived at her first duty station on the USS Nimitz (CVN 68).
Continue Reading‘Lasting Impact’: Sergeants Major on Giving Back Through Instructional Design
In January 2025, instructional design, development and evaluation (IDDE) professors Moon-Heum Cho and Rob Pusch visited the latest cohort of students in the IDDE Fellowship Program.
Continue ReadingCampus Community Invited to 108th Chancellor’s Review and Awards Ceremony
Syracuse University cordially invites the campus community to the 108th Chancellor’s Review and Awards Ceremony, a distinguished event honoring our Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets, on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 9 a.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome, followed by a brief reception at Club 44. This time-honored tradition, inaugurated on May 4, 1917, by Chancellor James R. Day, underscores the University’s unwavering dedication to military service and mirrors traditional military ceremonies that date back to the Middle Ages.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero: Rolondo “Jun” Mari
United States Army Sergeant First Class Rolando “Jun” Mari was born in the Philippines and calls Bel Air, Maryland home. Sergeant First Class Mari entered the U.S. Army in 2011, completing Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, SC, and became a 36 Bravo, Financial Management Technician.
Continue ReadingUS Navy Veteran Azar Abdulkadir ’25 Gives Back to the Syracuse Community
Not long ago, Azar Abdulkadir ’25 was a student at Nottingham High School, receiving help with her homework and English at Syracuse’s Northside Learning Center. Now, several years later, the U.S. Navy veteran prioritizes giving back to the same community center that helped her get her start.
Continue ReadingMarriler Wilson G’25 – Learning the Craft of Diplomacy
“Girl, go join the military.”
That’s what Marriler Wilson G’25 told herself before enlisting in the Air National Guard after struggling in college. “I honestly had no direction of where I wanted to go in my life,” Wilson says. “I decided I wanted to do something bigger than myself.”
Continue ReadingUniversity Ranked No. 3 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans of Private Universities for Three Consecutive Years
Syracuse University ranks No. 3 in Best for Veterans for Online Bachelor’s Programs of private universities for three consecutive years, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Online Programs rankings.
Continue ReadingForged in Snow: How Syracuse ROTC Shaped a Career of Service in Madison Kaifas-Steiner
Growing up in Buffalo, Madison Kaifas-Steiner was no stranger to the bitter cold and snow-filled winters of Central New York. But when she joined Syracuse University’s cross-town Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program during her time at Le Moyne College, she discovered that Central New York winters hit differently—especially during outdoor field training.
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