Jarret Winningham

Jarret first came to the University of Idaho as an active duty Marine in 2005 to pursue a commission through the MECEP program. He graduated with his Bachelors of Science in Forest Resources in 2008, and in 2010 he earned his Masters in Natural Resources. He now works for the U.S. Forest Service. 

"In the spring of 2008, just as I was graduating with a B.S. in Forest Resources, I was medically discharged from the Marine Corps. This was a difficult and challenging time for me. I had just been discharged from an organization that I had planned to stay with my entire career, and I was having difficulty getting support from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It was at this point that I started to explore the option of pursuing a graduate degree when was told about the Operation Education Scholarship. I applied for and received the scholarship, which allowed me to complete my Masters in Natural Resources. This ultimately helped me to secure a career in the Forest Service. The financial benefit of receiving the scholarship I think is obvious, but what has really stuck with me was the care and support that I felt from the university at a time in my life when I felt abandoned and unsure of how things would turn out. Operation Education is an amazing scholarship from a financial aspect, but also in how it can help make disabled veterans feel that their service was appreciated, and that they are supported in their endeavors to build a future for themselves once that service has ended".