A Brotherhood That Stood the Test of Time
Alumni veterans from the Classes of 1970–75 returned to ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ this fall, revisiting the campus where shared experiences became lifelong friendships.
More than 50 years after they first gathered around a reserved table in the Student Center, members of the BU Vets Club returned to ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ this October to reconnect with one another and revisit the place where lifelong friendships began.
The group, made up of ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ alumni from the Classes of 1970 through 1975, has been holding annual reunions since 2012, pausing only during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each year, the group votes on where they’ll gather next. This year, the choice was easy: come back to ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½.
For Walt Putback ’72, the memories began with a simple introduction. “I met somebody in the Vets Club, and he brought me to the table we had on permanent reserve in the Student Center,” Putback recalled. “He introduced me to the guys that were there, and I just fell right in with them. We all had experience with being in the service, so it was a common bond.”
That bond was especially meaningful during a turbulent period in American history. “When I came to ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ in 1969, I had just returned from Vietnam,” said Vito Lavacca ’74. “Veterans were not very welcome on college campuses at that particular time.”
Although apprehensive about returning to school, Lavacca found support from Construction Management faculty members with military backgrounds and, by chance, discovered the Vets Club. “They provided camaraderie,” he said. “In time we became like a large family. For this I will always be grateful to ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½, the Vets Club, and the leadership of President Jerry Abegg.”
Despite their shared military experiences, service was rarely the focus of their conversations.
“We very seldom spoke about our military experiences when we were together,” Lavacca said. “I think we all just wanted to put it behind us and move on.”
Putback echoed that sentiment, noting that the club included veterans from different eras, including some who served in Vietnam and others who did not. In fact, many members kept their experiences private for decades.
“One veteran we reconnected with at a reunion was someone I hadn’t seen in more than 40 years,” Putback said. “We had been close friends, yet neither of us knew the other had served in Vietnam. We discovered we had both served in the First Cavalry and had each earned a Purple Heart. It was a powerful reminder that even close friends can carry untold stories.”
Along with meaningful conversations came plenty of laughter. The group fondly remembers adopting physics professor Dr. John Kinney as its faculty advisor because, as one member joked, “he was a true Irishman who enjoyed hoisting a few beers with us.” Another physics professor, Dr. John Freim, also became a familiar face at student gatherings and local hangouts.
Returning to campus this fall reminded members how much ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ has changed—and how much it has stayed the same. “The campus seems much larger,” Putback said. “The food center is awesome.”
While buildings have changed and decades have passed, the friendships forged through the BU Vets Club have endured. What began as a chance meeting around a Student Center table has grown into an annual tradition rooted in shared experiences, mutual respect, and the lasting connection of being ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ Braves.
[Pictured above, left to right] Mary Hejnal, Terry O’Reilly ’70 and his wife Marlene, Walt Putback ’72, Doug Hejnal ’71, Tom Kraft ’75, Joe Vespa ’73, Skip Cospito ’71 and his wife Dorian McGlannan, Vito Lavacca ’74, Bill Shamick ’73, Tony Donato ’70, Bruce Thatcher ’71, Bill Fisher ’71 and his wife Carolyn.
—Emily Potts