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NEws & NOTEs …’Til Collegiatei Jason Luellen ’15 Spotlight: They By Tim Storm ’11, Chair, Communications All Come role requires him to travel to California a couple times a year to train new classes of Home Military Police. The transition from military to civilian life wasn’t too diffcult for Jason. By Doug Miller ’90, National Chaplain “The only thing that’s hard about it is that everybody is so much younger than you in n June 2011, The Grand Chapter voted to Icreate a national partnership with the USO. college,” Jason said. Jason started his undergraduate career at I was very proud to vote for the partnership. Adrian in 2012. His brother, Josh Luellen The USO had heard about an event our ’14, was attending Adrian while Jason was chapters were doing called “GI Theta Chi.” serving in the Army. Josh was already a Zeta They knew of our military history and thought Beta brother when Jason came to Adrian. we could make great partners. I agree. “I started going over to the house to During the winter of 2010, I found myself on the campus of the University of Central hang out with [Josh] but ended up hanging out with a lot of the other guys, not so Florida talking with a couple undergraduates. much with him,” Jason said. “So, I started They were telling me of the successful making connections with other guys like philanthropy they had recently created called Austin Wallace ’13, Mike Campbell ’13, “GI Theta Chi.” The event lasted several Jason Luellen stationed in Iraq during his 2010 deployment and others.” days with events similar to boot camp type To Jason, the best thing about Theta Chi is activities. The money raised went to support ason Luellen ’15 did not follow the same our veterans. Jpath that many others take to Adrian the brotherhood and a veteran base. “I really like the camaraderie with the I was very impressed with the event and College. He embarked on a journey that where the support went. The word started to brought him to Hawaii, Texas, and Iraq, guys and the support group and network of spread about GI Theta Chi. Shea Taylor, the through the United States Army, before people to talk to that will stand behind your back when you need them,” he said. “I think undergrad I met that day at UCF, attended the beginning his undergraduate career. National Convention in Palm Springs in 2012 Shortly after high school, Jason took the best thing that we have is other veterans to promote the event and soon we had GI courses through Jackson Community College in Theta Chi and I think that is what pulls Theta Chi events all over the country. It has for a year and a half while working full time. other veterans to Theta Chi. They have the had tremendous grass-roots growth and our Between work and school, Jason needed a support of like-minded people and that is one of the best assets we have within the chapters are excited to bring it to campuses. change and decided to enlist in the Army. The Army stationed him in Hawaii for Zeta Beta chapter.” two and a half years as Military Police. Jason is currently a senior and will receive Jason was then deployed to Iraq for a year his Bachelor of Business Administration on Protective Service Detail for a two-star in Accounting. He has chosen to pursue a General, before he was moved to Texas for Master of Business Administration, with a two years again as MP. focus in accounting, at Adrian in the fall of Before moving back to Michigan, Jason 2015. Within the chapter, Jason holds the transitioned into the Reserves where he still position of Marshall and has served as the For years, the idea of partnering with a national philanthropy had been discussed; serves as a Military Police Instructor. This Standards Chair. however, there was never one that ft our needs. The partnership with the USO allows chapters the chance to give back Defenderfer Selected in their own communities and, if they choose to partner with the USO, receive a to Lead Academy tremendous amount of support. The USO has built a toolkit on their website with all obert Defenderfer ’88 was asked to serve as the lead facilitator for the Theta the information a chapter needs to plan and R Chi Initiative Academy. The Academy offers the highest level of leadership execute a GI Theta Chi event. training provided by the international fraternity and is held on campus at Indiana We have a proud history of military service at University. The fve-day program is designed to take emerging leaders and give Zeta Beta. I look forward to the undergraduate them the skills to lead an organization. This program is limited to 60 students. Rob is chapter hosting their frst GI Theta Chi event. one of a handful of brothers nationally to be selected to lead this program that were It truly is a way to Extend the Helping Hand… not Headquarters staff or Grand Chapter members. Until they all come home!