Today we’d like to thank our Veterans for the sacrifices they have made to keep us safe and protect our freedoms. Within the Eccles community, we have students, staff, faculty, and alumni who have served in our nation’s military. We are honored to know you and strive to live in a way that reflects our gratitude for all that you have done and continue to do. 

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy

Adam Kelly

Adam served in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantryman from 2008-2012. He is currently the Senior Vendor and Inventory Manager at Fernish, an LA-based startup, and recently launched a new podcast “What Made You?” which is aimed at helping transitioning service members succeed in the civilian world.  Adam graduated from the Online MBA program in Fall 2020.

Melissa Yates

Melissa served in the Air Force on active duty for 5 years as a respiratory therapist and a cardiopulmonary technician. Melissa currently works for the Salt Lake County Health Department while pursuing an MHA/MPH at the University of Utah.

Stirling Pack

Stirling Pack graduated from Viewmont High School in 1966 during the significant escalation period of the Vietnam War. It was then a requirement that when you turned 18 that you register for the draft, which he did in his senior year.  Following graduation, he attended Weber State University for a year and then transferred to the U.  In 1968 he married his high school sweetheart, and they both continued studies at the U. He was notified by the Draft Board that he would be receiving his notice to serve in the immediate future and so Stirling decided that he would instead enlist for Officer Candidate School in late 1969.

 After completing Basic and Advanced Infantry training he was given some optional tests and interviews with government intelligence agencies which provided an opportunity for an unusual assignment with a Special Weapons Group.  Stirling opted out of OCS and was assigned to the 138th Ordinance Unit of the 558th Artillery Group.  The Headquarters Group operated 10 Special Weapons sites located in various areas of Greece and was assigned to the Special Weapons Support /Command which was part of the Southern European Task Force.  They operated closely with a similar group located in Turkey. 

Their assignment was to counter the threat of a frontal Warsaw Pact/Soviet armored assault on the southern flank of NATO nations and to present a barrier to any potential threat from nearby unfriendly nations.  Special Weapons were short-range tactical nuclear weapons. His assignment was to maintain site security and physical custody of the weapons as a Senior Custodial Agent, with the rank of Sergeant.

They maintained a low profile and very few civilians were even aware of their presence.  Their locations were fairly well hidden in various mountainous regions with dirt-covered “igloos” and large steel doors. They had a fairly sophisticated communications network and coordinated with both USAF and US Naval forces in addition to specialized Army Artillery units.

Maureen, his wife, was able to join him in Athens and they lived in a suburb with the Acropolis in view. None of their Greek neighbors knew of his assignment.  They had their first child, a son, born in Athens. It was a long-distance from Campus life at the University.

Following his term of enlistment in 1971, they returned to Utah and Stirling resumed his studies at the U. It was an entirely new experience after serving in a Special weapons unit.  They survived with a growing family on the two-year GI benefits allotment and part-time employment through his Bachelor’s and a portion of his Master’s program. Faced with mounting financial needs they were becoming increasingly concerned about successfully finishing school when an anonymous donor provided a scholarship gift for Stirling to finish.

“I will forever be grateful for the anonymous donor’s charity.  Maureen and I have had the opportunity of “repaying” scholarships to Veterans who are attending the U as a small measure of our gratitude for the gratitude we still feel to our anonymous donor.”

Stirling continued his education at the University of Cincinnati and he completed a Ph.D. in 1980.  His dissertation was on the Petroleum Industry and he was employed within several energy corporations until his retirement as a Senior VP of Investor Relations. Following his first retirement in 1980, Stirling worked with a start-up Hedge Fund, a financial advisory firm, and with a group of former co-workers to list a new energy corporation on the NYSE, before finally retiring. 

He currently has the honor of serving on the Eccles Advisory Board and also serves on the University of Utah National Advisory Council.

Stirling and his wife Maureen have lived in Houston, Texas for 34 years.  Over the past 5 years, he has coordinated disaster preparation and volunteer response along the entire Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast for the LDS Church.  This has been a record year for catastrophic storms and they have had the opportunity of assisting literally thousands of residents in Texas and Louisiana.  He says he is ready for this storm season, and it’s complications from the COVID19 pandemic to end. 

Maureen and Stirling celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary this year along with their 5 children, 13 grandchildren, and 2 step-grandchildren. “Life has been very good to our family.”

Kyle McAnally

Kyle served in the Air Force from 2012-2019. He is set to graduate with his Honors B.S. in Finance in December, and plans to pursue an MBA starting next year.

Landin Harris

Landin served in the Army with the 19th Special Forces Group for 6 years. He is currently completing a degree in Business Administration at the David Eccles School of Business. After school work during the days, he works as a bartender at night.

Tim Kelley

Tim Kelly served 23 years in the US Army and graduated in 2018 with his MBA from the Eccles School. After a notable military career being part of something bigger than himself, Tim is currently in transition to civilian work.

In the Army, he learned to thrive during stress and uncertainty while depending on others and having others depend on him.  The experience has been transformational for him.  Tim believes that each one of us can experience belonging, fulfillment, and meaning through selfless service.  This Veteran’s Day, Tim asks us all to consider expressing gratitude through service to others.