College of the Ozarks students to travel to Vietnam with the Patriotic Education Travel Program

POINT LOOKOUT, MO — College of the Ozarks is proud to take 20 students, seven Veterans, and 10 staff and faculty to Vietnam December 9-22, 2025, to gain a renewed respect and understanding for all those who served in the Vietnam War.

This trip gives students the opportunity to relive the most significant episodes in American history. This Patriotic Education tour takes students back to the 1960s and 1970s when the United States was engaged in a war to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. Students attending the trip have successfully completed “HTA 403: United States in Vietnam” this semester, before walking alongside their Veteran partners on the very grounds where they once served and hearing history directly from those who lived it. Through shared experiences, conversation, and reflection, students will deepen their understanding of service, sacrifice, and our nation’s history, while also representing College of the Ozarks.

The students’ first stop will be in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), Vietnam’s largest city, where they will explore local markets and experience elements of the country’s contemporary culture. The journey will also include guided tours of the Củ Chi Tunnels — an extensive underground network used by Viet Cong forces during the Vietnam War — as well as a cyclo ride through the capital city of Hanoi and a walking tour of its historic Old Quarter. Additional stops will include the My Lai Memorial Site, the former U.S. military base at Chu Lai, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Hải Vân Pass, and China Beach.

Veterans highlighted at each of the stops include Veteran James “Dan” Bunch; Veteran Frank Rutledge Eversole IV; Veteran Job Gonzalez; Veteran Guy D. Gruters, POW; Veteran Gregory L. McManus; Veteran John Sorenson; and Veteran Edward Wilson.

“The most meaningful aspect of the Patriotic Education travel experiences in Vietnam has been hearing the stories shared by our Veterans,” said Dr. David Dalton, professor of history. “Though a half-century has passed, these men continue to carry their memories and feel a deep responsibility to pass those experiences on to a new generation, helping students understand both the sacrifices made and the honor of serving our country.”

Dr. Brad Johnson, president of College of the Ozarks, highlighted the impact a trip like this makes for everyone attending.

“Participating in a journey as meaningful as this will be a life-changing experience for our students, sponsors, and Veterans,” Johnson said. “It is a profound honor to hear their stories firsthand. At College of the Ozarks, we want future generations to understand and honor the sacrifices made for our freedoms, and there is no more powerful way to grasp that sacrifice than by hearing first-hand the men and women share their experiences in the very place these events occurred.”

Veteran Participants

• Sgt. 1st Class (Ret.) James “Dan” Bunch – Served 22 years in the U.S. Army, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade at LZ English in the Bong Son Central Highlands. Bunch currently resides in Bolivar, Missouri.
• Lt. Col. (Ret.) Frank Rutledge Eversole IV – Served 33 years in the U.S. Marine Corps with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, as a machine gunner. Eversole now resides in Walterboro, South Carolina.
• Spc. Job Gonzalez – Served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1969 with the elite “Tunnel Rats” and alongside multiple infantry units of the 1st Infantry Division. Gonzalez currently resides in Houston, Texas.
• Capt. Guy D. Gruters – Served in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot and was shot down in December 1967, becoming an American prisoner of war. He is a two-time Purple Heart recipient and has received the POW Medal and numerous additional commendations. Gruters resides in Sidney, Ohio.
• Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Ret.) Gregory L. McManus – Served 42 years in the U.S. Army as a UH-1C Gunship and AH-1G Cobra pilot. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and more than 40 additional medals and commendations. McManus now resides in Springfield, Missouri.
• Capt. John Sorenson – Served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1972 with the Armor Branch, D Troop (Air), 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, later redesignated as C Troop, 3rd Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry. Sorenson now resides in Fair Grove, Missouri.
• Master Sgt. (Ret.) Edward Wilson – Served 29 years in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army, including service aboard the USS Chicago (CG-11) and with CBU-416. Wilson currently resides in Branson, Missouri.

Faculty and Staff Trip Sponsors

• Chassidy Brittain – Director of patriotic activities
• Dr. David Dalton – Distinguished professor of history
• Dr. Brad Johnson – President, College of the Ozarks
• Dr. Lloyd Nguyen – Associate professor of criminal justice
• Dr. Raine Prather – Assistant professor of nursing
• CPT Jamin Pyatt – Military science instructor
• BG James Schreffler – Vice president for patriotic activities
• Dr. Joe Western – Assistant professor of history
• Jackson Bliss – Videographer & Photographer, Portraits of Bliss
• Shann Swift – Photographer, Swift Shots

More About the Patriotic Education Travel Program

In 2009, College of the Ozarks began the Patriotic Education Travel Program, designed to provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences for students and Veterans from World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The program pairs College of the Ozarks students with Veterans, taking them back to the battlefields where they served. This program honors Veterans and helps to educate the younger generation, instilling an appreciation for the sacrifices of American servicemen and women.

About College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks is a private, Christian, liberal arts college, located in Point Lookout, Missouri, on a 1,000-acre campus. Christian values, hard work, and fiscal responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The College earns numerous accolades yearly, including No. 1 Best Performers on Social Mobility-Regional Colleges in the Midwest and No. 3 Best Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for 2025-2026 and No. 2 Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly, 2025. To achieve its vision, the College pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, a laboratory school that completes the K-college model.

The Keeter Center — the College’s award-winning lodge, restaurant, and conference facility — earns awards consistently, including the TripAdvisor Best of the Best Award 2024 for dining, Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award 2025 for lodging, and the Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 from ConventionSouth magazine for meeting and event spaces. The Keeter Center features historic lodging, fine dining, and meeting rooms. With more than 350 student workers, it is the largest workstation on campus.