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NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, MARCH 24. 2009
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Left: Despite several IED attacks, Brown was the only casualty of his platoon. Brown's leg was fractured because of the pressure wave emitted when the IED exploded beneath his Humvee. Brown said that he had planned on running the Boston Marathon someday, but would no longer be able to because of his injuries.
Right: Because he can no longer run due to his injuries, Brown now uses a bicycle for regular exercise. Brown said that transitioning from a regular running regimen was difficult at first, because it was so integral to both military culture and his marriage to his wife, a long-distance runner.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
RETURNING (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Meredith Kleykamp, assistant professor of sociology, said society's lack of exposure to the military was part of the reason behind mistaken views about troops' daily lives. When a military is volunteer-based, fewer people are exposed to the military lifestyle than when a draft is in place, she said.
"It would be nice if the general public had a better overall sense of what the military is, how it operates and what the rules are," Kleykamp said.
One technicality Brown said most civilians didn't understand was how IED-related injuries occurred. According to globalsecurity.org, most injuries caused by IEDs aren't caused by shrapnel, but
by a pressure wave given off by the primary blast, which usually has the power to shatter bones and inflict severe internal damage.
But technic knowledge wasn't the only aspect of war Brown said the American public didn't understand. He said the belief that soldiers and Marines had Rambo-esque attitudes of kicking in doors and shooting M46 rifles for far
the truth, and troops with that outlook of heroism and bravery were quickly disabused
"When something happens
that's real, whether it's an IED or shots fired at you, that's when you realize that the thing you see in the movies, something that's just going
"Your priorities shift from proving yourself to making sure you and your guys get home alive."
GATES BROWN Army captain
to 'make a man of you,' it's actually for real," Brown said. "You realize that people don't come back, and your priorities shift from proving yourself to making sure you and your guys get home alive."
It was after watching a piece of a Humvee fly through the air from an IED explosion early in his 2006 deployment that the seriousness of
the situation sunk in.
The violence came in short bursts. Although the platoon was hit by five or six IEDs during his time there, Brown said he was the only casualty it suffered. During the stretches of calm, Brown said it wasn't uncommon to see troops playing football or taking advantage of the satellite internet the base provided.
Brown's wife Marty, a physical therapist and KU Medical School graduate, said it was the humdum of everyday life in Iraq that surprised her the most.
"I was expecting him to be in the thick of things all the time," Marty said. "That's what I thought of war."
Dan Parker, McPherson senior and former Marine, said the public didn't know how low the level of intensity was in the majority of the country because media coverage focused on the violent areas.
"It doesn't make good copy to show people sitting around Skypeing or playing football. It doesn't make headlines," Kleykamp said.
Brown said he was open to questions about his time overseas, but only if students were open to different answers.
For more coverage on Iraq veterans' views after the fact, check tomorrow's Kansan.
Check Kansan.com to see a video of an interview with Capt. Gates Brown.
Edited by Casey Miles
@KANSAN.COM
CARS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
on campus we gaining popularity because of their lower fuel costs
"If a family can find a way to decrease their overall fuel costs per month, that's definitely something worthwhile," McKown said.
McKown said the vehicles could be purchased for less than $10,000 and traveled at speeds as fast as 55 miles per hour. The cars are designed for driving around neighborhoods, not for cross-country traveling, he said.
In his presentation, Sperling will discuss how China and California
"If you don't need to drive more than 100 miles per day, you really don't need a full-fledged vehicle," McKown said.
— two of the world's heaviest polluters — are implementing innovative technologies in the auto industry that could help the industry eventually become sustainable.
Charles Sprouse, Tecumseh senior, said Sperling's book
brought up important issues. He said he thought other engineering students and professionals in the auto industry should take global warming and pollution issues more seriously.
"For me personally it's a pretty big issue," Sprouse said. "As for other people in engineering, I don't think it's a huge deal to them."
Although car manufacturers have started to move toward more environmentally friendly cars, Sprouse said that there was more that companies could do to increase efficiency and decrease the environmental consequences of automobiles.
Sprouse said hybrids were a good step forward for the industry.
"Even though there was a lot of joking," Sperling said, "I think the key points got across."
LECTURE DETAILS
Sperling discussed his book on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" Feb. 11.
WHO: Dan Sperling, professor of civil engineering and environmental science and policy at the University of California, Davis
WHAT: Discussion of Sperling's book "Two Billion Cars: Driving Toward Sustainability"
WHEN: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Spahr Engineering Classroom in Eaton Hall COST: Free and open to the public
Sperling's presentation, sponsored by the KU Transportation Research Initiative, is free and open to the public.
Edited by Susan Melgren
PHARMACY (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
ferent part of the world and to be able to have diverse learning experiences as part of my pharmacy education career," Tiam Yaw,
Malaysia senior in pharmacy, said. Yaw spent September 2008 in the Netherlands.
"My experience in the Netherlands alleviated some of my worries that pharmacy is drastically different across the globe," she said.
very deep appreciation for the United States' health care system. "The situation made me brokenhearted to how greedy we have
"I took away a very deep appreciation for our health care system."
Powell said she took away a
KRISTEN POWELL Graduate student
Yaw said she chose to study in the Netherlands because she wanted to observe socialized health care. She said everyone in the Netherlands had access to health care, but that the coverage of specific medications was limited.
become in the U.S., where so many people have lost sight of how fortunate they are."
Powell said the experience also solidified her desire to work in an impoverished country when she graduated.
Mark Stanfield, New Concord, Ohio, senior in pharmacy, said going abroad to Scotland influenced his career aspirations. During his month-long rotation in August 2008, he observed pharmacists working personally with their patients. He said pharmacists in Scotland were able to help diagnose their patients, much like
physicians.
"There is no perfect system, but I think theirs works better," he said.
Stanfield said the health care he observed provided everyone with quality services.
"They're not into profiting from illness." Stanfield said.
Stanfield said he was the first KU student to study pharmacy in Scotland and that the School of Pharmacy helped him arrange his rotation. Stanfield planned the majority of his experience with his own funds.
Stanfield said traveling to Scotland was one of the best experiences of his life. He said his passion for helping people only grew
LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
"It's rewarding to find this passion because I'll be doing it for the rest of my life."
- Edited by Casey Miles
Experts weigh in on top 5 career paths
BY RACHEL BURCHFIELD
rburchfield@kansan.com
Medicine, music, law, nursing and art are the five most chosen career paths among students, according to data from the National Center for College and University Admissions for fall 2008.
These five career paths top a list of 20 compiled by the center. The center surveys more than 5 million students annually about their post-college plans.
Experts in the top five career paths weigh in on what, realistically, students pursuing livelihoods in these lines of work can expect to make when they graduate and why their particular profession matters.
MEDICAL PHYSICIAN
Monetarily Speaking:
According to the Medical Group Management Association, median compensation for medical physicians who have worked for fewer than two years in their specialty ranges from $132,000 to $259,000. Medical physicians who have worked more than one year in their specialty make anywhere from $156,000 to $321,000.
But More than the Money: Money shouldn't be the only motivating factor in pursuing a career in medicine, premedical advisor Paul Crosby said.
Crosby said the work ethic necessary to complete a premedical
course load was a much better predictor of the ability to become a physician than potential income.
Why Be a Medical Physician: "Most of us want to help others, to solve problems, and to make our parents proud," Crosby said. "And becoming a physician can also feed desires for personal accomplishment, higher learning, respect, prestige, authority, and, admittedly, money."
2 MUSIC Monetarily Speaking: Because there are so many
careers in music — ranging from singer to instrumentalist to instructor or Broadway performer — pinning down an average salary for a beginning career in music is nearly impossible, said Mark Ferrell, associate professor of music and dance. Careers in music could range from minimum wage to six figures per performance, he said.
"No matter what, though, I know of no professional musician who is in it for the money," Ferrell said. "That would be insane. The life is too challenging to do it simply for monetary rewards."
Why Choose a Career in Music:
"My best guess would be that if you love to do something, anything, a dream come true would be to make a living actually doing that something," Ferrell said. "That's my story anyway — and from talking to other musicians I think it's true for most, at least on some level."
LAWYER/LEGAL SERVICES
Monetarily Speaking:
Todd Rogers, assistant dean for career services at the KU School of Law, said the most recent data from the National Association for Law Placement showed the average salary of 2007 KU School of Law graduates was $62,813.
Private versus Public: KU School of Law graduates who entered a private practice of law made more money annually than their public sector counterparts. Those in private practice made an average of $73,192 and those in the public sector averaged $45,338.
If You Pass the Bar: KU graduates who had to pass a bar exam for their job earned a slightly higher average of $64,869.
Monetarily Speaking:
Last year, KU School of Nursing graduates reported starting salaries at around $45,000 per year,
said Rita Clifford, associate dean of student affairs at the School of Nursing. Salaries vary depending on geographic area — for example,
new graduate nurses in California make about $83,000 per year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual earnings for registered nurses in 2006 was $57,280.
4 NURSING/HEALTH CARE
An In-Demand Profession: Despite the nation's economic
"In fact, there will be a shortage of nurses in the future which will allow nurses to get work in almost any part of the country and in a variety of settings." Clifford said.
struggles, it is a profession that will be needed in the foreseeable future, Clifford said.
Why Be a Nurse: "It is a great way to combine an interest in science with the desire to help people." Clifford said. "It is interesting, challenging, and never dull. It is wonderful to be able to see the results of your efforts with patients and their families. There are, of course, difficult situations but, even in most of those, you can see how you have impacted patients and families."
5 ART Monetarily Speaking: With such a broad range of careers — careers ranging from
of careers — careers ranging from working in a gallery or a museum to painting or sculpting to teaching art — nailing down an exact average salary is impossible, said Matthew Burke, assistant professor of art.
"The field is too varied, and the job one may have after a college education in art may not even be in art," Burke said. "One may work as an office assistant, for example, and paint at night."
Anything Goes: Dawn Marie Guernsey, professor of art, said some art careers had no income possibilities and others had high incomes.
the top 20
3. Lawyer/Legal Services
1. Medical Physician
2. Music
4. Nursing/Health Care
5. Art
6. Psychology/Psychiatry
8. Business Owner/Entrepreneur
9. Athletics/Coaching
10. Law Enforcement/
Criminal Justice
11. Engineering (Mechanical)
12. Computer Sciences
13. Drama/Atheatre Arts
14. Child Care/Development
17. Business Administration
15. Veterinary Medicine
16. Architecture
18. Dance/Choreography
19. Sports Medicine
20. Mathematics
Edited by Melissa Johnson
Source:National Center for College and University Admissions
"A degree in art is really a degree in creative thinking and productivity," Guernsey said. "It is a good preparation for nearly anything. And incomes are just as varied."
HEALTH
HEALTH Colonoscopy patients told to get HIV testing
MIAMI — Officials say more than 3,000 patients at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Miami had colonoscopies with equipment that wasn't properly sterilized.
The VA insists the risk of infection is minimal and only involved tubing on equipment, not any device that actually touched a patient. But it's the second recent announcement of errors during colonoscopies at VA facilities.
They've been told they should be tested for HIV and other diseases.
Last month, more than 6,000 patients at a clinic in Tennessee were told they may have been exposed to infectious body fluids during colonoscopies.
MILITARY Death toll of invasion overseas reaches 595
As of Monday, March 23, 2009, at least 595 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures Monday at 10 a.m. FDT
Of those, the military reports 439 were killed by hostile action.
There were also four CIA officer deaths and one military civilian death.
Associated Press