Veteran to speak in Plachta Auditorium
Travis Mills, a veteran and quadruple amputee, will speak at 7 p.m. April 17 in Plachta Auditorium.
Army Staff Sgt. Travis Mills is one of only five surviving quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mills will give a talk from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 17 in Plachta Auditorium in Warriner Hall as part of the third annual Veterans on Campus Speaker Series. Seating is limited for the free event. Tickets can be picked up at Ticket Central or emailed and printed for $2.
Originally from Vassar, Mills was injured from an improvised explosive device on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan. He now gives inspirational talks around the country and has spoken at the Michigan Legislature.
“It’s a wonderful story in resilience and a good message for anyone to hear, whether you’re a student, veteran or community member,” said Veterans Resource Center Director Steve Rellinger.
Rellinger helped organize the Veterans on Campus Speaker Series.
“It’s part of our awareness strategy,” Rellinger said. “What we try to do is help not only the campus community but the community as whole to understand what it’s like to be in the military and make that transition to civilian, or in our case academic environment.”
Rellinger has not seen Mills speak in person, but has spoken with his team and is confident he will be a great speaker on campus.
“Staff Sgt. Mills has an incredible story of resilience and getting up every day with a positive attitude and moving through life as best he can facing the particular obstacles he has,” Rellinger said.
Military Science Professor Major Jason Cornett was disappointed to hear that Mills was speaking the same weekend that his class was having a field exercise.
“I know the cadets would love to go and see this,” Cornett said. “It just really puts it into perspective about your life and being fortunate. Myself, I have gone to three tours in Iraq as well and never have had anything happen to me.”
The event is able to be offered for free because of its funding from the President’s office, Central Michigan Veteran’s Fund and the Mid Central Michigan Area Health Education Center in partnership with the College of Medicine at CMU.
Excited to have Mills on campus for his inspirational talk, Rellinger said it also will show the public how as a nation ‘we are still at war and our soldiers are still in harm's way.’
