Meet Matt Sindelar: Dartmouth’s freshman Air Force vet

Today is Veteran’s Day, and while everyday demands praise for Veterans, today we are devoting even more time to honor all of our superheroes in the armed forces that have risked their lives in devotion to our country.

Dartmouth has rich traditions. Some of these have been contested recently with our changing school, but one tradition that will never fail is Dartmouth’s appreciation for Veterans.  Dartmouth has an extensive program supporting Veterans that has brought countless heroes onto our campus over the years after they completed their service.

The Tab had the opportunity to catch up with one of Dartmouth’s Vets, Matt Sindelar, a man with extraordinary valor. Matt is a 25 year old Ohio native who served four years in the military prior to becoming a proud Dartmouth student.

We had the chance to ask Matt about his experience serving and what it’s like being a Vet at Dartmouth.

Where were you based out of when you served? Which branch were you in?

“I served in Tucson, Arizona for the Air Force. But before that, I did basic training in San Antonio and then I had language school in California. Later I went to a whole lot of other states and ended up in Arizona.”

What made you decide to join the Air Force?

“I did not know what I wanted to do right after high school but my sister had joined the Marine Corps. I saw how her life had changed and then I decided to join the Air Force. I am really glad I did it; it was a great decision.”

What’s it like being in college after serving?

“It’s interesting because I’m 25 and going to school with people out of high school creates an age difference but it allows me to get a perspective of students with a different life experience. I’ve met amazing people and learning about their lives is just amazing.”

How is your life at Dartmouth different than a typical student’s?

“One thing that I am better at now than when I was coming out of high school is being more disciplined. I am on time and make sure that all of my assignments are done on time. It’s a type of discipline that the military gave me and I’ve learned to reinforce it [here at Dartmouth]”

What’s your favorite thing about Dartmouth?​

“The people, hands down. Just about everyday, I meet the most amazing people. In each of my classes I’ve met so many interesting people with diverse perspectives. I love learning about their lives and getting to know them.”

What would you say to others about the military?

“The military is what you make out of it. Often times, it gets a bad reputation for being harsh, but really if you take advantage of all of the opportunities that the military gives you, you’ll be set for life.”

Does it bother you knowing that you’re older than most students here?

“Sometimes I get jealous because I didn’t come to Dartmouth right after high school to have a traditional college experience, but I’m grateful because I have a better sense of how to prioritize my time and education [as a result].”

Can Dartmouth foster the same bonds and friendships that were forged during your time serving?

“I don’t know because I made friendships in the military largely because we shared a common process. At Dartmouth, I don’t know if you can recreate the same bonds we had in the military [for that reason].”

What’s the best experience you’ve had at Dartmouth?

“The friendships I made during trips definitely. I think it’s something that’s easily overlooked by high-school graduates, but I made so many great friendships [on trips] that eased my transition into Dartmouth.”

How did you cope with homesickness in the military?

“It was interesting because the people I was stationed with became my family. One year we weren’t able to go home for Christmas so we had our own gift exchange and volunteered at a shelter serving breakfast to the homeless. It’s one thing I’ll never forget, we were family and it helped prevent feeling homesick.”

What advice do you have for Dartmouth students?

“It’s very important to keep your priorities straight while trying to make the best out of your experience in college. Stay focused and do your work, parties can wait.”

You might not have even known there were veterans taking classes with you as students at Dartmouth. Take a second to get to know a few, they are everywhere!

Take a moment sometime today to thank them for their service and honor their sacrifice. They will definitely appreciate it and we can guarantee turning up with a Vet is 100X better than spending the night trying to impress someone at a party.