For students who have served in the military prior to attending college, being all that they can be is far different on campus than at a military base.

Jeremy Cloutier, sophomore in mechanical engineering, joined the Navy at age 19. He served as a mechanic for six years before coming to Iowa State.

He said he values the independent aspect of college life over his military career. Cloutier also said his classes at ISU have more depth and don’t involve confidential information.

“In the Navy, they force you to go to school. You sit in a classroom all day, and they make you stay awake,” he said. “Here there’s more freedom. You don’t have someone telling you what you should or shouldn’t do.”

David Davis, graduate student in liberal arts and sciences and Desert Storm veteran, said he likes the perspectives his classes offer.

“I like being able to look at things from a different point of view,” he said.

Davis, who joined the Army at age 18, said he had a difficult time adjusting to college life.

“In the military, there’s more discipline and camaraderie; none of my friends from the military came to Iowa,” he said. “It’s also hard to start exercising on your own, and you have to get back into old study habits.”

Cloutier said, for him, readjusting to school wasn’t a large burden.

“It wasn’t hard because I’m very independent,” he said. “I don’t need some artificial mommy government.”

Cloutier said the Navy provided him with the discipline he needed to succeed at ISU.

“If I had gone to college first, I wouldn’t have done as well,” he said. “I’ve been through the roughest part of my life, and now I’m going to dedicate myself to my education.”

Rather than going straight into the military from high school, Davis said, in retrospect, he wishes he would have obtained an associate’s degree.

“It would’ve helped my military career; you get promoted more quickly if you’ve had some education,” he said.

Though Davis does not plan on returning to the military after receiving his degree, he said he will serve in the Army Reserve.

Like Davis, Cloutier said he won’t rejoin the military.

“No more Navy,” he said. “I am not going to be a government slave again.”