My partner in this space, Tolga Ozyurtcu, recently examined the complicated legacy of former NFL player Pat Tillman's death as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan. His essay prompted me to think through the connections between the U.S. armed forces and sports in the United States. Among the many students I encounter during my day teaching at The University of Texas, some enter the realm of higher education a little more worldly-wise than the typical student: They have served their country in the armed forces. The discipline and experience they gained in the process have equipped many student-veterans with tremendous capacity for doing good in the world.
In ruminating about how my university might best tap into that potential, I thought about the importance of the GI Bill to the United States after World War II....
