Nearly ten years after graduation, Lieutenant Ben Pariser spoke with students as the 2015 Veterans Day Speaker. Mr. Pariser graduated from Brandeis University in 2010, before earning his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve. From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Pariser served with the 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion as a battalion human resources officer and a civil affairs team chief. In 2013, he was assigned to the Headquarters, United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command, where he served as a readiness officer on active duty. In October 2014, Mr. Pariser voluntarily deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel, where he served as an operations officer in support of United States Forces-Afghanistan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Train, Advise and Assist Mission.
“At Milton, you learn to adapt without losing sight of the ultimate goal. Each of you adapts to new teachers, classes and situations. The challenge is to adapt to an unknown obstacle. Don’t be afraid to pull out your map and reroute your entire life.”