Thomas Mulinazzi, center, chair and professor of civil, enviornmental and architectural engineering, speaks Feb. 5 with two soldiers who will be taking part in the new Wounded Warriors program at KU. The program will allow wounded soldiers to complete graduate degrees at KU while remaining members of the U.S. Army.

FORT LEAVENWORTH — U.S. Secretary of the Army Pete Geren joined University of Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway recently to welcome eight Iraq war veterans into a pilot project of the Wounded Warrior Education Initiative Program.

The joint announcement took place at Fort Leavenworth’s Combined Arms Center, which is commonly referred to as the “intellectual center” of the Army. The center provides the Army with new doctrine, leader development, collective training, battle command and lessons learned collection, analysis and integration.

The pilot program allows injured soldiers in the Army to apply for admission to KU, which offers more than 40 nationally ranked graduate programs. Upon completion of their graduate degrees, the soldiers can return to the Army, which will benefit from their education and personal experiences.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates encouraged the Army to proceed with the pilot program after the concept was proposed to him last September in a meeting with Geren; Hemenway; David Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness; and Richard Lariviere, KU provost and executive vice chancellor. Former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole, who was wounded in World War II, also voiced support to the program.

KU was asked to partner with Fort Leavenworth because of its long and expanding working relationship with the Combined Arms Center and its own commitment to the program’s success. KU is a major comprehensive research and teaching university with nearly 30,000 students and more than 170 fields of study.

“Through our long association with Sen. Bob Dole, we know that a wound in battle may injure a soldier’s body but not his or her future potential and strong resolve to serve,” Hemenway said. “KU is pleased to partner with the Army and Fort Leavenworth to help meet the need for advanced academic training at a time of unprecedented challenge for our armed forces. This program will be good for the Army, good for KU and good for the country.”

Participating soldiers will pursue master’s and doctoral studies in areas that support academic and research programs at the Combined Arms Center. Active-duty soldiers will remain in the Army. Those who are retired because of injuries will either assume federal Title 10 positions as instructors or convert to Department of the Army civilian status and move into positions where their degrees can support programs in the organization.