McIntire salutes third-year Commerce student Matt Bulloch and third-year Architecture student Ryan Chatman, both privates first class in the Virginia Army National Guard’s 29th Infantry Division serving at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The unit was called to active duty Nov. 1, 2002, for at least a year.

Bulloch, previously a member of the Army ROTC program at Boston College, enlisted in the Virginia infantry unit when he transferred to McIntire. He recently told The Cavalier Daily that, although taking leave from school is inconvenient and the possibility exists that his unit can be relocated to anywhere else in the world under Operation Enduring Freedom, he is “proud that [he] can directly serve the United States in times of war.”

“One of the reasons I joined the National Guard unit in Virginia, in addition to the substantial educational benefits, was that I had always wanted to serve our country in some capacity and liked the thought of being a true citizen-soldier,” Bulloch said. “In the course of my liberal arts education, I bought into the idea of the good of the whole being more important than the good of the individual. Joining the National Guard and making myself available were a definite way to ‘put my money where my mouth was.’”

“The entire University community is extremely grateful to these students for the sacrifices they are making to defend and protect our country,” said Dean Carl Zeithaml. “We look forward to the safe return of both students to the University and Matt’s return to the Commerce School.”

Messages of support for Matt will be forwarded to him via Rebecca Leonard, McIntire’s Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Student Services, at rll9e@virginia.edu.