Finding Solid Ground: An Army Veteran’s Path into Peace and Conflict Studies at UNCG
Posted on November 12, 2026
Jon Ackiss, an Army veteran and graduate research assistant in our department, shares in his own words what it has meant to bring his military service into the study of peace.
Jon Ackiss presents “Princeville, N.C.: Standing Firm Through Wind and Rain, From the Waters We Rise Again” at the 2026 International Studies Association-South conference at UNC Greensboro.
From my experience, the military-affiliated students at UNCG are among the best and most dedicated students we encounter.
Dr. Jeremy A. Rinker, Department Chair and Associate Professor, Peace and Conflict Studies
During my first Peace and Conflict Studies class, a list of presentation topics was passed out. I saw “Afghanistan” on it, which gave me pause given my deployment to Khost Province.
Despite my reluctance, I decided to go for it. Getting out of my comfort zone was part of the reason I was back in graduate school.
As I prepared, it hit home that I was no longer an Army officer in a particular battlespace with a tactical mission. I was a scholar approaching Afghanistan through an academic lens. That gave me the chance to bring the project to life with a perspective that can only come from having been there.
That’s when it all clicked.
Jon Ackiss in Iraq, 2008
I had returned to university life mid-career, looking for a place where I would be challenged, where critical thinking was the norm, and where my lived experience would be appreciated. That is exactly what I found at UNC Greensboro. PCS became a place where I could put my life experience into an academic context and contribute.
No one knows about armed conflict better than our veterans, and it has been an honor to learn from these students’ insights and desire for peace in my classes
Dr. Amanda Blewitt, Academic Professional Assistant Professor, Peace and Conflict Studies
As my studies have continued, so have my growth and my contributions to the department. I’ve taken on a research assistantship that draws on my Army experience with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and I use my planning and leadership skills every day. I was asked to co-author an academic journal article and co-presented at the annual Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA) conference. I never would have imagined any of this when I first returned to grad school.
Jon with UNCG PCS faculty members at the PJSA Conference, Virginia 2026. Left to Right: Dr. Chuck Egerton, Dr. Amanda Blewitt, Jon Ackiss, and Dr. Marcia Hale
Veterans bring profound insight into both conflict and peacebuilding, enriching our classroom discussions as well as our individual and collaborative research projects.
Dr. Marcia Hale, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, Peace and Conflict Studies
What has mattered most is the people. The professors in PCS are genuinely invested in me as an individual. I’m not just a number or another seat filled. They seek out growth opportunities for me, meet for coffee, and always make time for a call. Bottom line, I feel seen and cared for, which is more than I ever expected.
Jon Ackiss briefing Soldiers before convoy training in South Korea, 2005
The program places real value on healing and invests in students one by one, which makes it an ideal landing spot for veterans. Here, our experiences are seen as an asset. We bring practice in resolving conflict day to day, leading groups, and, for some of us, deployment. That enriches the learning for everyone in the room.
Jon Ackiss with Army ROTC Cadets, Mongolia, 2017
If you’re a veteran looking for a place to grow, heal, and use your military experience to help shape and better your community, give UNC Greensboro’s Peace and Conflict Studies program a chance. I’m confident you’ll also find solid ground.
Jon Ackiss is a former Army officer who served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. He is a graduate student and research assistant in UNCG’s Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at UNCG, where his research focuses on the Russia-Ukraine war, the human toll of armed conflict, and environmental justice in eastern North Carolina.
Interested in joining us? Email pcs@uncg.edu, visit Peace and Conflict Studies at UNCG, or follow us on LinkedIn. Service members in the Civil Affairs career field can ask about our peace education pathways program.
