Just after finishing his first semester at the СAPP, veteran Gordon Eatley celebrated his 73rd birthday in Vietnam СAPP a country he hadnСAPPt visited since he was piloting helicopters for the U.S. Army 50 years earlier.
A few months before his return trip to Vietnam, Eatley connected with the and unexpectedly enrolled in classes at UL Lafayette.
Thanks to the community of veterans he found on campus, Eatley began to recognize and overcome the post-traumatic stress and depression that had plagued him for decades.
Returning to the country where he spent his early 20s and confronting his experiences there СAPP combined with the support he found on campus СAPP helped Eatley let go of his past and find peace.
СAPPI never got around to itСAPP
Eatley is the only Vietnam veteran enrolled at UL Lafayette, and heСAPPs planning to graduate with a bachelorСAPPs degree in general studies after two previous attempts to complete his college education in the past 50 years.
Eatley enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1965 and was deployed to Vietnam in 1967 and in 1971.
After he returned home to Kentucky from his second deployment, he took courses at Sullivan Business College and the СAPP of Louisville while working full time and serving in the Kentucky National Guard.
He delayed completing his education when he moved to Lafayette in 1978 to become a pilot at PHI, Inc.
Left: Gordon Eatley in 1965 after enlisting in the U.S. Army; Right: Gordon Eatley in Iraq in 2008. Photos courtesy Gordon Eatley.
While flying for PHI, he joined a medical detachment unit for the U.S. Army Reserves. He retired from the reserves in 2006, but he volunteered to return to active duty. In 2008, he was deployed to Iraq.
After he returned from Iraq in 2009, Eatley retired from the U.S. Army; a year later, he retired from PHI. After 42 years in the military, his PTSD and depression became overwhelming.
In 2019, Eatley connected with the Wounded Warrior Project, which was hosting a breakfast at UL LafayetteСAPPs Student Union. There, he had a fortunate misunderstanding with Ryan Gonzales, the СAPPСAPPs assistant director of .
Gonzales thought Eatley was on campus to enroll. Eatley was there for coffee.
СAPPItСAPPs something I had in the back of my head for years and years: I wanna go back to school,СAPP Eatley said. СAPPBut I never got around to it. Next thing I know, IСAPPm talking to all of these different nice people, signing paperwork, and СAPP I canСAPPt even remember their names anymore, it was so fast.
СAPPAnd the next thing I know, I was signed up for college.СAPP
Back in class
Eatley took his first class during the Summer 2019 semester: Philosophy 316 Professional Ethics with Dr. Micah Dugas, visiting instructor of philosophy.
Before his first day of class, Eatley was worried heСAPPd be snubbed by his instructor or his classmates.
СAPPIСAPPm old enough to be the grandfather of everyone around me,СAPP he said. СAPPI came back here really unsure of myself. I was unsure of how IСAPPd be treated, if teachers were going to kind of look at me and say, СAPPWhat are you doing in my class? YouСAPPre just taking up a seat.СAPPСAPP
But those fears quickly disappeared.
Eatley and Dugas talked almost every day before or after class. He studied with classmates, and found support from other veterans on campus СAPP all people who helped him realize, he said, СAPPI came here, and I can do this.СAPP
And EatleyСAPPs experiences as a veteran spurred engaging discussions in and out of the classroom, Dugas said.
СAPPWe talked quite a bit in class СAPP but much more in my office СAPP about, sort of, personal choices and experiences. Ethics is not this abstract, conceptual, academic СAPP itСAPPs about how we live our lives.
СAPPAnd I suspect he might be able to see that a little clearer, having had those kinds of experiences СAPP to really have to think about right and wrong in a very literally life-or-death kind of way.СAPP
Returning to Vietnam
With his first semester completed, Eatley traveled to Vietnam hoping to replace difficult memories. His son, Jeffrey Eatley, went along, too, and documented the 25-day trip.
One outing brought Gordon Eatley to the windy hilltop where he lost five friends in an aircraft crash. When he reached the top, he sat on a rock and the air became still.
He was there alone, but he could sense his friendsСAPP presence.
СAPPThere was something there,СAPP Eatley said. СAPPItСAPPs quiet. And I felt four people СAPP and then all of a sudden, the fifth person comes up. And I said, СAPPThereСAPPs no way.СAPP
СAPPAnd I sat there and I lost it, IСAPPll admit it,СAPP he said, remembering how he yelled in anger. СAPPAnd I finally looked up and said (to them), СAPPYour job is done here. Go home.СAPPСAPP
The wind suddenly returned, drying the tears on EatleyСAPPs face, and СAPPsomething went through me. I came home knowing that those guys had left СAPP they went home.СAPP
СAPPWelcome homeСAPP
When Eatley returned from his first deployment to Vietnam in 1968, a young woman in the airport caught his eye.
СAPPShe walks up to me, smiles ... and then spits in my face,СAPP Eatley recalled. СAPPCalls me a СAPPbaby killerСAPP and other names I wonСAPPt say.СAPP
It was a story heСAPPd shared with his fellow student veterans at UL Lafayette, and Veterans ServicesСAPP Gonzales could tell that it still bothered Eatley.
So, Gonzales texted EatleyСAPPs son Jeffrey: СAPPWeСAPPre going to welcome your dad home, but donСAPPt tell him. We want to surprise him.СAPP
At 10 p.m. on a Thursday night, UL Lafayette student veterans and Veteran Services staff congregated outside the security line at Lafayette Regional Airport.
Gordon Eatley, center, with his welcome home crew at the Lafayette Regional Airport. Photo courtesy Ryan Gonzales.
The small but enthusiastic crowd pulled off the surprise as Eatley walked into the terminal. They cheered, waved flags, and carried signs that said СAPPWelcome Home!СAPP
СAPPGordon told us that we saved his life by doing that,СAPP Gonzales said. СAPPHe was finally able to put Vietnam behind him because he got the welcome home that he had never had before.СAPP
The next day, Eatley shared his reaction in a Facebook post: СAPPBelieve me when I say the tears came to my eyes and my heart almost burst. The memory of the greeting I shall carry to my grave, and the first story IСAPPll tell in heaven, if I am so lucky, will be about those who greeted me in Lafayette on that September night and how they gave peace to my soul.СAPP
Gordon EatleyСAPPs son, Jeffrey, kisses him after an emotional welcome home at the Lafayette Regional Airport. Photo courtesy Ryan Gonzales.