David Kaye is the associate director of athletic communications at Baylor and is also a 2008 alumnus. Kaye began his studies at Baylor in fall 2002 and joined the Army Reserve the summer of 2003, serving as a specialist. He was called to active duty in May 2005 with only two days notice, Kaye said.

“I had two weeks left in my junior year, and they called me on a Friday and said, ‘You’re flying up here on Sunday,’” Kaye said. “So I had to withdraw. Baylor was willing to let me take the finals early, but two days wasn’t enough time. So I just had to wash away that whole semester.”

Palestine, Texas, sophomore John Hazel is serving in Afghanistan as a specialist for the National Guard. He has been stationed there for three months; his total deployment is scheduled to last 12 months.

Hazel enlisted Jan. 5, 2011, as a senior in high school. During his freshman year at Baylor, he joined the ROTC, just to see if it was something he liked, Hazel said.