Nick Gugelman is a former marine, and had been working in a supply job after leaving the Marine Corps in 2013.  

Gugelman deployed multiple times, and has won the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.  He agreed to an interview where he discussed his military life, and life afterwards as a veteran:

When asked what he thinks about Pierce, Gugelman said: “I enjoy it.  I like the instructors here, and I like the people.  I’ve had a lot of opportunities to do different things, I worked with you at the Pioneer in the spring quarter, and that was fun, a great experience.”

He continued, “You know, the people here are amazing, not just the instructors, but the students.”  Gugelman also works in the computer lab, saying that he tries to use his skills where needed while pursuing his own degree.

Gugelman went on to discuss his military life: “It was very tough.  Being in the Marine Corps, it’s always going to be tougher.  It’s a big change from civilian life.  You’re constantly working out, constantly working period.  You’re a marine 24/7.  It was a big change from going to high school straight into military life.  It’s pretty difficult.”

Gugelman was deployed three times, the first time on a MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit, pronounced “Mew”).  He explained that MEUs are like a police force for the United States, outside of the United States, with three MEUs on each coast and one in Okinawa.  MEUs often work closely with other nations, and provide support in the form of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) and water.

“I loved deploying.  It gave me the chance to explore and see another perspective.  I really liked going to Iraq, because I got to meet the locals.  It’s a tough situation for them because you’ve got different ideals, and two opposing countries trying to push their ideals onto them when they have their own ideas as well.  I don’t dislike Iraqis or Afghans or any type of people whatsoever, it’s about thinking outside the box.  They’re just fighting for their country because they were told to, you can’t think they’re a bad people.”

Gugelman clarified that it wasn’t just about seeing the perspective of other cultures: “I think it was just deployment in general, not just that.  For me, I enjoyed the camaraderie, there’s a lot of camaraderie in the Marine Corps whether it was garrison or deployed.  But I also got to do counter-mortar detail, which means I basically got to chase the bad guys.  You know, nobody likes to get shot at, nobody likes to get shot, but it was a real thrilling experience.  I got to capture a couple of terrorists while I was out there.  It was a real neat experience, saying I got to be apart of that.”  

“I think there’s a lot of misconception about the military, that people think when you join that you become a bullet sponge.  That’s not true.  There’s a stat while I was on recruiting duty that says that 40% of fortune 500 companies are owned by former marines.  It’s the mentality we have.  We’re not about, excuse my language, half-assing it.  That’s why we’re seen as a pretty fierce fighting force.  We’re all about doing it right, and doing it fast.”

In the Marine Corps, it’s all about discipline, according to Gugelman.  Messing up can lead to deaths, and this is what is instilled into soldiers in boot camp.  It’s “a huge responsibility,” says Gugelman.

Gugelman spoke about his experiences after leaving the military, and stated that his experiences with people has been relatively positive, though he knows that local politics is always a factor in anything, much less treatment of veterans.  “I try to be friendly and positive to the people I encounter,” he said.  

“Pierce is the number one military-friendly school.  And it’s cool to just say that you’re apart of that, that I have brothers and sisters who go to this school and I can relate to them.  It builds a bond, and, you know, no offense to you or anyone else who hasn’t been in the military, but you might not be able to relate.”

It’s a unique experience, says Gugelman.  “It just adds more character to the place and I think it’s good in general, to have a lot of military people around because I think, for the most part, the military tries to do the right thing.  That’s what they tell you in training, they try to take you and make you into a better person that you were before.

Gugelman started attending Pierce in the winter quarter of 2014, and pursues a degree in digital design before transferring to Evergreen State College.  He is also a former member of Pioneer staff.