Nutrition course assisting U.S. Army Reservists

An online nutrition course of Priscilla Connors, assistant professor of merchandising and hospitality management, is making a difference in the lives of reservists serving the U.S. armed services.

One of her students, Army Staff Sgt. Brandon Davis, is using the elements of the class to train the soldiers of the Charlie Company 5th of the 112th Armor Battalion to eat right and stay within the health parameters set by the U.S. Army.

Davis, a UNT police officer, was called into active duty in July for Operation Noble Eagle, the homeland defense and civil support services provided by 35,000 members of all of the military reserves. As a sergeant, he trains reservists in nutrition and physical fitness.

Davis, who left active duty in the Army after eight years of service, was pursuing a degree in criminal justice at the university. Since being reactivated, he has continued taking classes through the UNT distributed learning program.

The nutrition course — SMHM 1450, Principles of Nutrition — was meant to be just an elective fulfilling a degree requirement for Davis. Instead, it's become a basis for training soldiers deployed to Pine Bluff, Ark.

"Of the 250 soldiers I deal with, about 60 percent don't fall under the Army's health parameters," he says. "In many cases, soldiers may be only a few pounds out of the preferred weight range, but it helps to have a better knowledge of nutrition to teach them. I've used everything in the course from learning to read food labels to understanding how the body works."

Davis, who is also taking courses to be certified as an emergency medical technician, hopes to use all that he's gained to be a better officer in the Army. And he also wants to use that same knowledge at UNT when his duties in Operation Noble Eagle are complete.

BY RUSUS COLEMAN rcoleman@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Board of Regents authorizes $31.5 million to finance residence hall
• EDS contributes $6.25 million software to UNT
• UNT's International Week begins April 7
• Parking lot 10 scheduled to close in May
• UNT departments on the move
• Staff Council elects replacement officer
• 2003-04 Staff Council elections are this spring
• Outstanding staff, department awards presented at March 5 sack lunch
• Rafes gives Faculty Senate a campus development report

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