UNL features Clearwater native in Veterans Day salute

As we celebrate Veterans Day, we should all take the time to acknowledge and thank the Huskers across our community who've chosen a path of service and self-sacrifice. For Morgan Erhardt, this was a path that she knew she would take since she was a kid.

"At a really young age, I knew that the military was something I wanted to do," says Morgan. "It just always felt like a calling."

Morgan says she enlisted in the National Guard "the second I turned 17." After graduating high school, Morgan promptly completed Basic Training in South Carolina and Advanced Individual Training in Virginia.

"Being in the Guard has opened so many opportunities to travel and see new places I never would have otherwise," shares Morgan. "It's amazing to meet so many people from so many different backgrounds - those connections are really meaningful to me."

A large reason, Morgan says, for choosing the National Guard was her desire to eventually supplement her military training with a college education. Now an E5 Platoon Sergeant and working full time with the Guard, Morgan has also made good on that drive to go to college as a full-time student at Nebraska.

"Trying to juggle full-time Guard with being a full-time student has been tough, but the support here has made it possible," she says. Morgan calls out the Military and Veteran Success Center, in particular, as being an incredible support system for her and her fellow Husker veterans.

"I've had to lean on the MVSC office a lot for support, and they always back us up 100% when we need it. Plus, they just encourage us to come hang out, meet other veterans and want to get to know us."

The time management and discipline needed to juggle school and service is a lot, Morgan says, but, thankfully, she's had a bit of experience in those departments that makes the balance manageable.

"Starting college after basic and AIT, I felt like I had this focus and drive already in place," Morgan explains. "The military has taught me so much. Without it, I wouldn't be the person I am today."