Veterans Upward Bound Program

TMCC Veteran of the Month - Oct. 2008

Ed Arnold

Ed Arnold

TMCC Assistant Director of Facilities Operations and Capital Planning

Sergeant Major Edgar (Ed) F. Arnold enlisted in the Marine Corps on July 6, 1972 and completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California on October 12, 1972. In August 2002, Sergeant Major Arnold retired after 30 years of honorable service.

His personal awards include Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Gold Star, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Gold Star, and Sergeant Major Frederick B. Douglas Award.

He earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and earned his bachelor's degree in advance management from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Sergeant Major (Retired) Arnold is currently employed at Truckee Meadows Community College as the assistant director of Facilities Operations and Capital Planning. He is the Commandant of the Marine Corps League Detachment 672 "Battle Born" in Reno, Nevada; member of Disabled Veterans Association; member of the Board of Directors for the Cimarron Association; and member of the workforce development & curriculum overview committee for the Sierra Nevada Job Corps.

Sergeant Major (Retired) Arnold said he joined the Marines because, "It all boils down to being young, at age 17 I saw a Marine recruiter who said 'Do you have what it takes to be one of us?'...thinking to myself 'oh yeah!'...the challenge began," Arnold said.

"Plus I wanted to serve my country with all intentions of going to Viet Nam, which never happened and I thank God everyday for that as I got to see first hand what Viet Nam did to those that came back," Arnold added. "When it came time to get out in 1974, as the economy took a down turn, my mother convinced me to stay in and the rest is history. Thirty years later I retired."

The retired Sergeant Major offers this advice to veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, "They need to take it slow, use every available resource both medically and psychologically, use veteran organizations as an outlet, and most of all enjoy life as it is too short and be happy," Arnold said. "Also, take advantage of the GI Bill; use it to get an education as your military experience will only get you so far. While you are in the school environment remember you are no longer in the military and even thought you do have an opinion, state it in a way so as not to be too aggressive, not to scare those around you. Most students and faculty have no idea of what you have been through in the War on Terrorism. None of them will every see what you have seen and feel what you are feeling. I know what you have been through, I know that you are proud of your service to this great country and as a retired Marine of 30 years I am proud of you and your fellow service members. I want to thank each of you for your service and for protecting our way of life."

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