University of Montana student David Payseno, who grew up on an Air Force base in Goodyear, Arizona, developed an early interest in military history. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer to gain firsthand experience.
Payseno completed basic training in Missouri and attended Airborne school in Georgia before being stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with the 82nd Airborne Division. He later served a year-long deployment in Baghdad, Iraq.
“It felt like combat in one direction, with us on the receiving end,” Payseno said. “There were all of these rules limiting how we could respond and defend ourselves. It was another situation where control was taken from us, and we suffered a lot from it.”
After leaving the military, Payseno worked as a carpenter but struggled to adapt to civilian life. “I wasn’t taking very good care of myself, because I hadn’t taken the time to find my new identity as a civilian after being in the Army,” he said. “My mindset became focused more on how much I could endure, not how I could improve or influence the situations I was in. I had to surrender the sense of ownership and control over my own life, and gaining it back has been a struggle.”
Recognizing his need for support during this transition, Payseno decided to attend UM and prioritized his mental health and overall well-being.
Pat Beckwith, director of UM Military and Veteran Services, noted that veterans often face challenges when transitioning into university life: “It is an overwhelming experience,” Beckwith said. “You are learning to take care of yourself for the first time, navigating a university, all while dealing with ambiguity around your future and who you are as an individual.” Beckwith added that regardless of their specific service background, most veterans share similar struggles adapting to academic settings.
“It’s a culture shock and identity crisis all rolled into one,” Beckwith said. “The first semester a veteran starts school is the hardest. This is where we need to connect them with resources and instill a sense of belonging – a sense of confidence they are doing the right thing and are in the right place.
“It’s a very fragile time,” Beckwith added. “People naturally want to go back to a place of comfort. This can mean wanting to return to your old life in the military – something that isn’t always possible.”
Payseno now serves as both a well-being support coach and peer mentor within UM’s Alexander Blewett III School of Law as part of his social work practicum for his senior year. The law school has many students who are veterans; Payseno’s position allows him to recommend additional resources for those who need support.
“More than anything I’m a peer, so I don’t need to keep the same professional distance that a clinician does,” said Payseno. “Our shared identity as veterans is what gets us in the room together, but how we connect as individuals is the most important thing.”
The Military and Veteran Services Office at UM covers several therapy sessions for students using their military benefits—a process mentors like Payseno can help make more accessible by encouraging students who may hesitate about seeking help.
“Peer intervention is one of the best tools we have in helping transitioning veterans into student life,” Beckwith said. “This is the best way for these students to find community and ultimately succeed.”
Beckwith emphasized that universities offer unique opportunities for veterans adjusting after their service: “Where else do you have so many resources and a built-in community to connect with?” said Beckwith. “It’s incredible.”
Payseno plans to pursue a master’s degree in social work so he can continue supporting other veterans professionally after graduation.
“There’s a value to all of this that I didn’t recognize before I started doing the work,” said Payseno. “It’s not a cure, but it can definitely make things easier.”
Donations can be made online through GiveCampus (https://bit.ly/UMvetCrowd) to support UM Veterans via its Military and Veteran Services Office.
