Joe Hauer studies for an upcoming biology test in the Loft at Bethel Friday. This is the third of four tests this semester. “I’m feeling pretty confident about this,” Hauer said. “I should be able to get an A.” | Photo by Sam Schutz

Living by values

Nursing student learns to live by his values rather than goals.

By Samuel Schutz

Joe Hauer’s life has been a roller coaster of change. When he was 14, in 8th grade, he weighed 268 pounds. By the beginning of his freshman year of high school he was down to 180. Thanks to this weight loss, he was able to join the Marine Corps out of high school.

Then he was a paramedic taking care of patients with medical, trauma, and mental health issues in an ambulance.

Then he was an orderly at the Minneapolis VA where he transported patients to their appointments.

Though he has many valuable experiences, he has done each of those for only a short period of time. Now he is looking for a stable career doing what he loves: serving veterans.

But who knows? Maybe that isn’t what he will end up doing. Hauer has embraced a philosophy of pursuing his values rather than setting goals.

“When you live by your values you open up your paths and opportunities.” — Joe Hauer, nursing major

“When you live by your values, you open up your paths and opportunities,” Hauer said.

Joe Hauer presents his dad’s flag to his mom during his dad’s funeral at Fort Snelling National Cemetery May 17, 2012. His dad had served in the Marine Corps for almost 9 years. “I really miss my dad since he was my biggest role model growing up,” Hauer said. | Photo by Sam Schutz

His experience as an EMT and orderly have all been centered around veterans. Hauer values the military and its veterans, and after a painful discharge from the Marine Corps because of clinical depression, he remains loyal and his values are unchanged.

One of Hauer’s childhood friends, Adam Jensen, admires his commitment to the military and veterans.

“He shows passion for his work with veterans and can communicate with them on very personal levels, giving him a unique ability to connect with those people who are so often misunderstood by society,” Jensen said.

Both positions as an EMT and orderly have involved working with veterans. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much job security and had to find a more reliable career. This is because he could not handle the stress of being an EMT and his orderly position was a pilot program which could be terminated soon.

And that is why he is at Bethel studying to be a nurse. Nurses at the Minneapolis VA convinced Hauer to return to the VA as a nurse to spend his career serving veterans.

Most importantly, though, he is staying true to his core values even if his goals don’t come to fruition. If being a nurse doesn’t end up working out for him, rather than being distraught he can jump on a different train heading the same direction — the military and its veterans.