Serving fellow veterans is in this student worker’s DNA

From serving in the Army to supporting fellow veterans in Boise, Mack Arnold embodies service. He's a student worker in Boise State's Veteran Services Center where he helps those transitioning from the military to university, something he did himself recently.

Mack Arnold

Arnold grew up in Garden Grove, California, and worked as an Emergency Medical Services volunteer in the Los Angeles area. He enlisted in the Army as a medic in 2015. He then spent five years between Fort Johnson in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, where he deployed to Iraq as a part of Operation Inherent Resolve and the Tucson Sector during the "Southwest Border Mission." He then spent three additional years in Fort Moore, Georgia, where he deployed to South America in support of Operation Alamo Shield. He took care of fellow soldiers and his partner forces, witnessing gruesome scenes that only a veteran can understand.

When returning to the U.S. after his time in the Army, he and his family moved to Boise to be closer to his wife's family. He explored the idea of becoming a firefighter for the Boise Fire Department (again, service runs in his DNA), but stumbled upon the Veteran Services Center at Boise State.

"I was just wandering around, quite literally, just discovering the city. I wound up on campus and saw the big purple heart [outside of the Veteran Services Center]. I thought, 'that's for me, I should go over there.' So I did."

He learned more about the center and believed in its mission. Supporting veterans in the community? Check. All while pursuing a degree? Check, check. Arnold was hired in 2023 and enrolled in the environmental science program at Boise State.

An open door to new opportunities

Inside the center, Arnold is the first line of contact for veterans stopping by or calling in for help. His goal is make sure everyone gets on the right track accessing their benefits and starting their new chapters.

"When it comes to people who just walk in fresh off the street, nine times out of 10, they're trying to figure out how their GI Bill and Veterans Affairs' health care work," he said. "My job is to just be someone they can talk to about benefits and a college education, and, ultimately, get the help they need. I'm just another veteran, and I'm trying to figure it out just like they are."

Mack Arnold on an Army deployment

He clarifies that he does not work for Veterans Affairs, but acts as more of an advocate and a connector. The first thing he does is make sure the veteran is connected with Veterans Affairs and that they are receiving proper compensation. Next, he sets them up with educational benefits.

"I sit them down at the computer and show them what all they're entitled to and how they get it."

Finally, if they're interested in higher education, he starts the Boise State application process and explores financial aid options. "Giving that veteran that I'm assisting that confidence that someone is on their side is what it's all about," he said.

Arnold instills this confidence - along with a sense of purpose - with every veteran he meets. "I used to tell my junior medics that whether you are fighting or fighting to save somebody's life, somebody else should have to come pull you off of them. Pursue your goals with reckless abandon!"

"Mack is a natural-born leader. He's the type of person who doesn't flinch or think twice when he's called upon, whether that's working out complicated benefits entitlement for a student, or saving a life that's seconds away from being lost," said Anna Moreno, a management assistant for Veteran Services. "His confidence promotes confidence in others and he's making an impact at the center. We're truly grateful to have him on our team."

Boise State's served over 3,500 veteran students over the past five years, and that doesn't count the many veterans that have contacted the center for assistance.

"You don't have to do it alone. Go ask for help; you can gather more resources," Arnold added as a reminder to all veterans. "You are supposed to, and that is what I'm here for."

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