From Jay Headley, Director of Veteran Services at OIT: “Oregon Tech was approved for the PAVE program during the Fall 2020 semester. However, at that time OIT was without key leadership needed through a Director of Veteran Services position (PAVE Coordinator). Even in the absence of leadership, Brandon filled roles as Advisor, Team Leader, and Coordinator simultaneously. This student’s tireless efforts is in my opinion the only reason Oregon Tech’s PAVE program has carried on since its inception. As Oregon Tech’s new Director of Veteran Services, I am so thankful for Brandon’s commitment and dedication. In his position as a Team Leader, I have seen Brandon go out of his way to support his Peer Advisors and the veterans they serve. His stellar communication skills and dedication to this program have turned the “good idea” of PAVE into a viable program that is now reaching veteran students in real time. He should be commended for his dedication and performance. With Brandon’s help, I am excited to see how much we can grow this program and our veteran student support in the future.”

From Brandon Wright: “I am proud to be a member of PAVE and extremely proud of how my team was able to implement PAVE with no official leadership/guidance. We were without a VSC for a time, which made things inconvenient for starting the program. Regardless, my team handled things as best as they could with what was provided and we were able to successfully implement the PAVE program here at the Klamath Falls, Oregon Tech campus. My favorite part about being a Team Leader is the fact that I am a part of another veteran support program at our school. Just being a part of a program that is there for the student veteran community is reward enough. I’m glad that our campus is a partner with PAVE.”