RCC commemorates Veterans Day
Nov 11, 2025Rockingham Community College honored military service members with a special Veterans Day program on Nov. 11, featuring a student veteran panel and guest speaker P.T. Deutermann.
Veterans Panel
Three RCC students who served in the military shared their experiences and answered audience questions.
Kiana Greene grew up around family members who served and participated in JROTC in high school. “I liked wearing the uniform,” she said. After graduation, she took some time to “live life,” then enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 23.
“I was around combat medics who were kind, nurturing to the injured, and always in good moods. I assisted a lot,” Greene said. That experience inspired her to pursue a healthcare career; she is now a pre-Nursing student at RCC.
Justin Swain also participated in JROTC. After high school, while working, he decided he wanted more. At 24, he joined the U.S. Air Force “on a whim,” without telling his family first. Swain is now studying HVAC at RCC because he enjoys hands-on work.
Marisa Cusack dreamed of “playing Army” since age 8. At 17, she enlisted, determined to prove her family wrong about women in the military. Her twin sister later joined the U.S. Navy.
“You have to take a Combat Life Saver course in case there’s no doctor or medic around,” Cusack said. “I had no desire for a healthcare career, but I loved that course.” She is now in RCC’s pre-Nursing program.
The panelists discussed challenges of military life.
Swain recalled working on engine parts that weren’t visible, requiring teamwork and repeated attempts. “It’s rewarding and teaches patience and perseverance. It makes future challenges easier,” he said.
Greene said being away from family and deployed in a combat zone was tough, but taught her resilience.
Cusack described her first 40 days of deployment: “I was the only female sent and had no battle buddy. You don’t know who to trust. It was scary at times. I learned to be resilient and mindful of my surroundings.”
Cusack’s deployment to Afghanistan included stops in eight countries. She remembered seeing a man dragging leaves and branches home for insulation. “When I got home, I got mad when people complained about little things,” she said.
Greene said she is more open-minded now. Swain added that meeting people from different backgrounds made him prefer personal conversations over news reports.
They also addressed misconceptions about military life.
Military service also changed their worldview.
Cusack noted strict rules and regulations, especially for women, and reminded the audience that enlistment is a legally binding contract. Greene said not everyone serves on the front lines—many jobs are routine. Swain agreed, saying the military is highly structured and mission-focused.
All three said they would encourage their future children to serve, citing valuable soft skills gained through military experience. “The sooner they get involved, the more they’ll learn and grow,” Swain said.
Guest Speaker: P.T. Deutermann
Rockingham County resident Peter Thomas “P.T.” Deutermann served 26 years in the U.S. Navy, earning 19 medals and retiring as a captain. He commanded the USS Tattnall in the early 1980s.
“Veterans are in a fraternity with no name,” he said. “We recognize each other because we’re different than civilians. We know we were part of something special.”
Deutermann encouraged people to thank veterans simply: “Ask if they’re a veteran, and when they say yes, tell them, ‘Good on you. I’m proud of you.’”
After retiring in 1992, Deutermann began writing fiction, primarily about World War II. “It was a righteous war. We showed them their attack was a bad idea,” he said with a laugh.
He recommended starting with Pacific Glory, set in Hawaii during WWII. “I finally learned to write characters that draw you in,” he said.
Early in his writing career, a New York literary agent contacted him, predicting modest earnings for his first two books. Later, the agent called back: there was a bidding war, and St. Martin’s Press won—offering six times the original estimate and expecting one book per year.
Today, Deutermann has written 26 novels—the same number of years he served. Learn more at www.ptdeutermann.com.
~By Gerri Hunt, RCC Director of Public Information
