Texas State Technical College recently hosted 50 active-duty U.S. Army soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas, during their two-day visit to the Harlingen campus.
The soldiers, who are in the Army Recovery Care Program’s Soldier Recovery Unit (SRU), toured TSTC programs and enjoyed lunch at TSTC’s Cultural Arts Center.
Kenneth Buford, TSTC’s statewide director of veteran recruitment, welcomed the soldiers.
“We have been working with the soldiers for about 12 months,” he said. “This campus afforded them an opportunity to view TSTC from a different lens and view some alternative programs not available in Waco.”
The soldiers also learned about programs in TSTC’s Money-Back Guarantee program, which reimburses students their tuition if they have not found a career in their chosen field within six months of graduation.
The soldiers were divided into four groups and toured programs such as Aircraft Airframe/Powerplant Technology, Automotive Technology, Dental Hygiene, Welding Technology, and others.
Raul Campos, a platoon sergeant in the SRU Unit, is a native of Mission, Texas. He expressed interest in the hands-on programs that TSTC offers.
“I am interested in the medical field, and hopefully this visit will help me decide what I want to pursue,” he said.
Braulio Salazar, of Brownsville, expressed interest in wind turbines.
“The skills I have learned in the military, such as structure, will benefit me at TSTC,” he said. “Wind Energy Technology really interests me because this industry will eventually boom, and I want to be a part of it.”
According to https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/, the Army Recovery Care Program transitions soldiers, their families and/or caregivers back to the force and/or to veteran status through a comprehensive program of medical care, rehabilitation, professional development and achievement of personal goals.
For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.
