Veteran Onboard at SVCC to Help Veterans

Who better to serve and help veterans than a veteran wounded warrior?  Dean Schwartz is now available to assist veterans through the Veterans Rapid Response grant awarded to Southside Virginia Community College and the South Central Workforce Investment Board.

Dean Schwartz

The grant covers the counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward.  The goal of the program is to develop a profile of veterans seeking employment and/or training.  The profile encompasses the jobs that the veteran performed while in service and how that translates into coursework.

“If a veteran needs training at that point, we help them to get into the program they need,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz looks forward to working with fellow veterans and his office locations will be in Charlotte Court House and in Student Services at SVCC in Keysville.

Schwartz was a student at University of Virginia at Wise when he joined the Army National Guard.  During Operation Enduring Freedom, his unit was activated and after six months at Fort Eustis, they were deactivated and he returned home to Keysville.  Returning to school in the fall, he was once again activated, sent for training and arrived in Iraq in March of 2004.

While assigned to provide security during a road repair mission, the vehicle Schwartz was on was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.  Upon regaining consciousness, he realized his leg was missing and he also had an injury to his arm preventing him from applying a tourniquet.  He believes God put his sergeant at his side, who was not even supposed to go on the mission that day and ended up saving Schwartz’ life.  He also proved to be the inspiration that got him through the pain of recovery and rehabilitation.  Schwartz notes that he thanked Sgt. Spurlock for saving his life and after shrugging off his heroics, he told Schwartz, “Don’t waste it.”

After a grueling stint in Walter Reed Army Medical Center where his mother was constantly at his side, Schwartz finished school and started working and figuring out the rest of his life.  Thanks to the constant reminder from his sergeant, he has not wasted a minute.

He worked to help other disabled veterans enter competitive sports and later moved back to Southside Virginia.  He is married with two daughters and currently studying for his Masters of Arts in Teaching at Liberty University in hopes of becoming a teacher and coach.

He is available to coach other veterans in their pursuit of life after service.  Dean can be reached at dean.schwartz@southside.edu or 434-390-3386.