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Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin Visits ASU Beck PRIDE Center

Arkansas State University Chancellor Dr. Kelly Damphousse (left) speaking with Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin (right) in the Beck PRIDE Center for wounded veterans.
Cynthia Barnhill / KASU Photojournalim-Graphics Designer Intern
Arkansas State University Chancellor Dr. Kelly Damphousse (left) speaking with Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin (right) in the Beck PRIDE Center for wounded veterans.

Helping veterans readjust to life after service.  On Thursday, Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin visited a resource for veterans on the Arkansas State University campus.  

The Beck PRIDE Center provides programs and services for wounded combat veterans.  Rehabilitation, social re-integration, and educational preparation take place at the center.  Griffin, who is a veteran himself, praised the center.  He said a lot of colleges and universities across the nation are not as friendly to veterans.

"We ought to respect their service at every university; every college," Griffin said.  "I just think it's awesome what they're doing here because this is leadership." 

Griffin said the biggest obstacle for those who leave the service is trying to find a place to belong.

Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin sitting through a presentation about the A-State Beck PRIDE Center led by center director Lynda Nash.
Credit Cynthia Barnhill / KASU Photojournalim-Graphics Designer Intern
Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin sitting through a presentation about the A-State Beck PRIDE Center led by center director Lynda Nash.

"That belonging vacuum that exists for a lot of veterans is filled often with loneliness, confusion, and depression," said Griffin.  "So, having a place to belong, with other veterans, where they know they're cared for--that is huge.  That's a big deal."

Griffin was the second official to tour the center this week. Assistant Secretary of Operations, Security, and Preparedness with the Department of Veterans Affairs Donald Loren visited the center Tuesday.

Editors Note:  Arkansas State University is the license holder for KASU 91.9 FM.

Johnathan Reaves is the News Director for KASU Public Radio. As part of an Air Force Family, he moved to Arkansas from Minot, North Dakota in 1986. He was first bitten by the radio bug after he graduated from Gosnell High School in 1992. While working on his undergraduate degree, he worked at KOSE, a small 1,000 watt AM commercial station in Osceola, Arkansas. Upon graduation from Arkansas State University in 1996 with a degree in Radio-Television Broadcast News, he decided that he wanted to stay in radio news. He moved to Stuttgart, Arkansas and worked for East Arkansas Broadcasters as news director and was there for 16 years.