Michael Rutledge
Michael Rutledge retired from the U.S. Army in 2004 as a master sergeant after 22 years of service; he served in various assignments world-wide in the field artillery and his awards include the Meritorious Service Medal,
the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Service and Expeditionary Medals, and the Army Parachutist and Air Assault Badges.
He began his second career in education teaching high school first in Taylor, Michigan, and then in Traverse City, Michigan. He then taught at Northwestern Michigan College, also in Traverse City. Since 2015 he has
been the Coordinator of Student Veteran Services at NMU, and he lives in Marquette with his famous service dog, Welles.
Upper Peninsula Together with Veterans Initiative Created to Reduce Rural-Veteran Suicides
The Together with Veterans (TWV) initiative was first introduced on Rural Insights in August of…
Brother Versus Brother: How Two Civil War Veterans of Opposing Sides Came to Marquette
Samuel and Robert Byrne were brothers who fought on opposing sides in the American Civil War, but following the war their paths led them to Marquette, MI, where they established their families and successful careers.
Military Tuition Aid
It may seem nearly impossible for many people to acquire a degree in higher education without taking on a significant amount of debt, however for those considering active or reserve duty in the military, there are numerous benefits offered to help pay for post-secondary education.
Marquette selected as local hub for new VA suicide prevention initiative
Marquette has been selected as one of the 30 projected “Together with Veterans” hub sites, a program intended to connect veterans with one another in rural areas to reduce the number of suicides.
Becoming a rural veteran
“Nothing was the same. The friends I had known two decades ago were gone, or exactly as they had been 22 years earlier; my family were older, many had passed, and the number of people crowded all around me was a difficult situation to adjust to.” Army Veteran Michael Rutledge, who served two decades in the service, provides insight into the challenges returning home and how the rural lifestyle of Marquette and the Upper Peninsula helped him readjust.
