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SSG Matthew Thompson

Veterans Resource Center

Honoring the memory of SSG Matthew Thompson

Staff Sergeant Matthew Thompson

Staff Sergeant Matthew Thompson, 28 years of age, died August 23, 2016, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, of injuries caused by an improvised explosive device that detonated near his patrol while conducting dismounted operations in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

Thompson was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

Matthew graduated from Concordia University Irvine with a B.A. in Theological Studies in 2011.

The Veterans Resource Center was officially re-named after SSG Matthew Thompson on Memorial Day May 29, 2017, at the Colonel Barber Memorial Park located in Irvine, CA.

The Grand Opening of the SSG Matthew Thompson Veterans Resource Center was held on November 10, 2017.

The VRC

Military branches hanging on the wall Folded American flag in a shadow box CUI's veteran students and alumni CUI's veteran flag American flag American Legion flag Photos of veterans in a collage Folded American flag in a shadow box Vintage military artwork Military dog tags American flags Military branches hanging on the wall
Richard Lewis

Richard Lewis

SSG Matthew Thompson Veterans Resource Center Director

Phone: 949-214-3129
Email: [email protected]

About the Director

Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army in November, 2010, where he became a paratrooper and combat cameraman. He was stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina and had Deployments and temporary duty assignments in West Africa and the Middle East. Richard’s enlistment term ended on August 18, 2015 and he drove across the country to attend Concordia University Irvine’s Fall 2015 undergraduate semester 6 days later.

During Richard’s undergraduate program he worked in the SSG Matthew Thompson Veterans Resource Center certifying VA education benefits and organizing philanthropic and recreational events for the military connected community. As a former student and back-up Certifying Official, Richard obtained first-hand insight into the unique challenges Concordia student veterans and dependents face. Richard’s goals are to remove all potential barriers between students and their educational goals and ensure easy transitions from military to college life by fostering a veteran-friendly community. Richard has been serving as the Director since 2021.

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