As another semester begins, one Nicholls alumnus continues to show his Colonel pride even though he is over 7,000 miles away from home. Col. Jacques Thibodeaux of Raceland is the Rear Area Operations Center Commander for the United States Army in Baghdad, Iraq, and a dedicated Colonel fan. Having graduated from Nicholls with a business degree in 1989, Jacques supports his alma mater while working with the US Security and Iraqi Security in the International Zone in Iraq.
“My education at Nicholls has paved the way for my successes in life,” Jacques said. ” It allowed me to set the foundation for successful careers in the military and the federal government.”
Jacques is currently deployed with the Louisiana National Guard. He said all of the Louisiana National Guard soldiers have strong bonds with their communities and try to bring a piece of home with them to the Middle East.
“My part is the ‘Colonels’ attitude,” Jacques said. He wears Nicholls gear when he can be in civilian clothes, posts Nicholls stickers all over Iraq and placed a Nicholls magnet on the side of his MRAP, a 14-foot military vehicle.
Each member of the Thibodeaux family has a personal connection with the university. Both Jacques and his wife, Greta Thibodeaux, are Nicholls alumni, and their children, Sarah Thibodeaux and Matthew Thibodeaux, are attending Nicholls.
Sarah, mass communication senior, said the University is a great part of Thibodaux.
“It is just in our blood to be Nicholls fans,” Sarah said. “We are fans of Nicholls the way others are fans of LSU.”
The Thibodeaux family show their support by having some type of Nicholls material in each room of their home, filling their closets with university shirts, hanging the Nicholls flag in their front yard and attending all football games. The family members are also all part of the former First Down Club.
Jacques said his family is a group of “die hard” Colonels athletic fans. “I scheduled my leave so I could attend two of the Nicholls football games with my family.”
Jacques sent the American flag that was flown over the American base in Iraq to Nicholls head football coach Charlie Stubbs as a good luck charm.
Stubbs said he received an inspiring email from Jacques during the spring football season saying how proud he is of the football team.
“We turned it around and said how proud we are of him for his services,” Stubbs said. After the email was sent back to Jacques, Stubbs received a package from him, which included the American flag.
The Thibodeaux children said their father’s Colonel pride is what keeps him going and keeps his morale high, and his pride for Nicholls is important to them as a family.
His wife, Greta, said, “He is a Colonel at heart and in rank.
