LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – As Red Raiders walk the stage for graduation, some students stand out with a camo-tipped stole and cords recognizing military service.
Texas Tech’s Military & Veterans Program Director Gracie Guerra says the university began presenting the stole in 2012 to honor veterans and active-duty service members.
“Their journey is different,” Guerra said. “For the veteran and the service members, they carry the weight of military service. For the families, it’s sacrifice.”
Guerra says she understands that sacrifice firsthand. She was a military spouse for 25 years while her husband served as an Army Ranger, and the family moved 13 times.
“For a military spouse, your career gets put on hold because you have to take care of everything while they’re gone away and are in harm’s way,” Guerra said.
She says that sacrifice can mean missed milestones—birthdays, anniversaries and graduations—making military service a “family affair.”
Guerra also walked the stage herself and received a cord recognizing military spouses, calling it a meaningful moment.
The program hopes the stole ceremony is just one way to build stronger connections with military-connected students on campus. Guerra says they’re working on more engagement, transition support, career development and community-building—so students know the program exists and can help.
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