Veteran Student Shares New Mission

As we mark Veterans Day in 2025, it’s a time to reflect on the contributions of those who have served. One such individual is Otis Kinman, a Gaston College student and a 12-year military veteran. His service included roles as an Infantry Scout and a Weapons Sergeant at several bases, including Fort Benning, Ga., Fort Bragg, N.C., Fort Campbell, Tenn., and Fort Carson, Colo. Kinman is now pursuing a welding degree, applying his military training to his next career.

“Gaston College helped me convert my military discipline into a new mission and a skilled trade I can build a future on,” Kinman said. He appreciates how his educational journey reflects the school’s tagline, “Own Your Momentum.” “The structure here allowed me to build momentum again, one course and one certification at a time, and now that momentum belongs to me.”

Kinman, a native of Maplewood, New Jersey, graduated from Technology High School in 2001. After his military service, he sought new challenges, which he found through his classes at Gaston College.

“After the military, I began taking courses to re-establish myself academically,” Kinman explained. “I later chose Gaston College so my education could align directly with a skilled trade and a career path.” Like many veterans, Kinman honors his service on Veterans Day, November 11.

“We honor veterans because they carry responsibility for the security of the nation,” he stated. “Service requires discipline, sacrifice, and the willingness to act when others hesitate. The freedoms and stability we have today exist because ordinary people volunteered to protect them.”

This Veterans Day, let’s remember and celebrate the journeys of veterans like Otis Kinman, who continue to inspire us.