“I’m happy now. This is where I’m supposed to be,” retired Marine Corps First Sergeant and history senior Todd Kennedy said.

Kennedy dedicated 22 years of his life to the Marine Corps when he served in the Gulf War, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Immediately after Kennedy turned in his retirement papers, he called San Diego State his new home in fall 2011.

Kennedy was specially admitted through SDSU President’s Military Admission Program, which delegates five seats every fall semester for service men and women leaving the Marine Corps and Navy.

The transition from military to school may seem difficult to most, but Kennedy excelled in all aspects of his collegiate life.

But before starting school, he said he went through transitional training. “I had to be reminded … don’t yell at people, talk to people. Don’t come across aggressive, come across persuasive,” Kennedy said.

At the age of 40, Kennedy worried he would be the oldest student sitting in 100-level classes. When he realized this was true, he used his past experience to further enhance the learning of his fellow classmates.

As Kennedy sat in history class learning about U.S. wars, other students turned to him for explanations of what it was like to be in battle.

“The student has another student who was there; they have walking history in their classroom,” Kennedy said.

Besides adjusting quickly to classroom life, Kennedy said he also felt overwhelmingly accepted on campus because of the large veteran population.

“From day one, I got involved with the Student Veteran Organization,” he said.

With Kennedy’s leadership experience from being in charge of companies ranging from 75 to 400 Marines, he was nominated and elected the president of SVO. Kennedy, who recently stepped down as president, is now the Veterans Coordinator for the Joan and Art Barron Veterans Center on campus.

“After so long in the military, I wouldn’t have been able to just hang up the uniform. I’ve always got to be doing something,” Kennedy said in regards to being active on campus.

Although Kennedy is excelling as a civilian in school with a 3.95 grade point average, he always remembers those who didn’t come back.

“It’s not just one situation, it’s all of them who we weren’t able to bring home,” Kennedy said. “I don’t wake up screaming, I’m just making sure the ones who did go, who made the ultimate sacrifice, are remembered.”

In honor of those fallen soldiers, Kennedy bears tattoos on both of his forearms. The tattoos are a journal entry from Army Major Michael O’Donnell, who was killed in the Vietnam War in 1970. Kennedy said he stumbled upon the entry while reading a book on duty.

The cursive quotes are written outward, so when Kennedy turns his arms palms-up, someone can easily read them. He said he didn’t face the quotes toward him because he will always remember, but wants everyone else to be able to remember and understand as well.

“Save them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go. And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.”