BY MARNIQUE OLIVIERI-PANEPENTO, STAFF WRITER
Photo credits: Marnique O. Panepento
Michael Conner Humphreys is not only known for his acting debut at eight-years-old. He also served in Iraq for one year and served in the United States Army for three years. “Forrest Gump,” the well-known 1994 American comedy-drama film starring Tom Hanks, featured Michael Conner Humphreys, as the young Gump.
Students, faculty and other veterans filled the Walsh Science Center Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening to hear Humphreys speak about his military and acting careers, the two profound, yet somewhat brief moments of his life that hold the greatest impact.
Humphreys, 37, originally from Independence, Mississippi, began by showing a video from his Army’s unit during his 15-month deployment in Al Anbar Governorate, the largest governorate in Iraq by area. He called these kinds of compilation videos his “generation’s war letters.” The videos acted as a way of communicating the soldiers’ experiences in Iraq while helping many of them cope.
“Those groups of guys that you saw in the video, I respect those people more than anyone else I’ve ever known in my entire life,” he said.
He enlisted in the Army the day after the 2004 United States presidential election and was
stationed in Germany, and was assigned to the 1st Battalion 36th Infantry Regiment, an element of the 1st Armored Division and served at Fort Riley in Kansas.
“I’ve never known anyone with that kind of comradery or a group that helped me develop than the people in the Army.” Humphreys said.
He said that he always felt as though he wasn’t meeting past expectations about himself, and joining the Army was the most respected thing someone could do.
“You can’t really go back to just having a completely regular life after that,” Humphreys said about the film. “The same thing is said about being in Iraq … I only recently, in the past few years, have even acknowledged that there was anything traumatic about being in Iraq. Something’s never been completely quite right since I came back.”
His life has revolved around these two events, and ever since, he’s been trying to figure out how the two fit together. He said he felt like a drifter when he left the Army, and it took him a long time to realize he struggled with PTSD.
“I’ve spent years not trying to act again,” said Humphreys, who also holds an international relations degree from the University of North Alabama.
Humphreys said he realized he was negligent for years, didn’t take advantage of his voice and is still figuring out what he can do to help.
He decided to act again, and now, he considers acting to be his therapy. Over the years he has acted in a few films, a play and a television show.
A lot of his decisions in life were based on his self-perceived expectations, he said.
Greg Outman, the Student Veteran Association president since May 2022 at St. Bonaventure University, who served in the Navy, said, “I speak for myself but may speak for other veterans. We don’t or didn’t serve to gain praise or accolades for serving because it was for something greater than ourselves and a magnitude of other personal reasons. It is greatly appreciated when it is recognized and the sacrifices that were undertaken are thought of and appreciated.”
The Student Veterans Association is a club that provides resources for Veterans to feel a familiar sense of belonging and comradery while carrying the values that align with both the university and the values of serving. It consists primarily of veterans, Military Aligned Students and other students who are not directly military-aligned.
“I do think that students at SBU do pay respect to Veterans with recognition. I have received thanks for my service from multiple other students on campus. My response was and is ‘Your welcome, it is my honor,” said Outman, who was an Electrician’s Mate Chief Petty Officer.
Humphreys said the Army taught him that you should always surround yourself with people who you respect, how to have the willingness to put yourself out there, how to show people your work ethic and how to have a degree of confidence. All these have helped him figure out the two events interlocked.
Humphreys is still in contact with Tom Hanks, who personally gave him an Oscar.
SBU and SVA honored and thanked Humphreys at the end of the talk.
SVA is also holding a veterans ceremony to honor and pay tribute to veterans on Nov. 11 at 12:40 p.m. outside the bookstore in The Reilly Center.
