Corporal Dane Parker

The value of hard work and an education have always been a tradition in Dane Parker’s family, passed from one generation to the next, always growing. But Dane, like his father in Vietnam and his father before him in World War II, had another trait passed down from his ancestors: love of country and the duty to serve.

After September 11, 2001, Dane left college and joined the United States Army, volunteering for every assignment he was offered. Within a short period of time, Dane had become an Airborne Infantryman participating in the initial invasion of Iraq. After active duty, he remained involved with Army Reserves and during this service Dane attended Arizona State University and received a Bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in history.

From Arizona State, Dane gained acceptance to the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. As Dane puts it, “I volunteered for the Army, the Airborne and Iraq because I wanted to fight for my country.” Now, after 5 years of service and one deployment to Iraq, Dane wants to fight for his fellow veteran as a co-founder of the Veterans’ Advocacy Clinic in Tucson where he is working with other to help guide their peers through the legal system.

Combining his military experience with his educational pursuit, Dane is now motivated more than ever to support his fellow veteran and hopes to continue his work fighting for the rights of veterans and others misunderstood by the legal system.