NPR's Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman covers the military and Defense Department, and has reported from Afghanistan and Iraq for the network. Bowman is also an alum of Saint Michael's College, and he's been working with the college to encourage more veterans to attend.
Bowman will be back speaking at St. Mike's on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. in an event open to the public. He'll be joined by a veteran who lives in Vermont as they talk about the wars and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bowman told Vermont Edition on Wednesday that it was his suggestion to have a veteran be a part of the event to share another experience.
"I think it's important to have a veteran too on the stage when you're talking about something like this, particularly at St. Michael's, where they've tried to draw in more veterans over the past few years," Bowman said.
He adds that he thinks having more veterans in the classroom environment is not just beneficial in terms of their education, but also provides a valuable perspective for other classmates and instructors.
On the program, Bowman also discussed his experience as a reporter and talked about what he's been observing at the Pentagon and the Department of Defense recently.
Listen to the interview from Vermont Edition on Feb. 22 above.
