Vietnam Veteran Joins Phi Kapa Sigma Faternity

Fraternity initiates Vietnam veteran
Indiana Daily Student News
Larmie Sanyon
February 20, 2017

After returning from the Vietnam War, Army Col. Gregg Hammond said he struggled to integrate back into society because he felt alienated. Since serving in Vietnam and eventually Iraq, Hammond said he learned how to cope with society, both as a veteran and a citizen. When Phi Kappa Sigma initiated him Saturday, Hammond said he had an opportunity to share his experiences with a young group of people.

Retired Army Col. Gregg Hammond, right, was initiated into the fraternity Phi Kappa Sigma on Saturday. DOMINICK JEAN

Hammond, a native of Peru, Indiana, graduated from IU in 1979 and served about 33 years in the Marines and Army. Sophomore Jake Olson, the fraternity’s president, said the 167-year-old initiation kept with traditions at Bryan Room in the IMU.

The standards and traditions reminded Hammond of the Army after he retired in 2009.

“I started to research it after I retired and I found the values of Phi Kappa Sigma to be almost identical to the Army’s core values.” he said.

The fraternity’s local chapter, the Delta Pi chapter, recognized the colonel by initiating him along with 14 other young men in their winter class. Hammond said he never had an opportunity to join a fraternity while at IU or any other institutions, but he remembered one of his classmates being a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma and 
enjoying his experience.
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