November 11, 2022

UM Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Honors Veterans, Past and Present

The University of Montevallo Office of Veteran and Military Affairs honored veterans and hosted events for their dependents in association with Veterans Day.

University of Montevallo students place flags on grave sites at the Alabama National Cemetary.On Nov. 8, the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs participated in a flag placement ceremony at the Alabama National Cemetery. The Campus Veterans Association, the student organization that is associated with the office, took a group of students to complete volunteer work at the cemetery by placing flags on veterans’ graves.

On Veterans Day, the Office hosted a Veterans Day Game Day open to all students.

Jennifer Elliott, the VA graduate assistant for the program, said since the majority of the program’s students are dependents of veterans, they wanted to hold an event that would include them.

“We wanted to do something that was fun and inviting for veterans and dependents of veterans who make up part of our student population,” Elliott said.

The event was held at the Global and Community Outreach Building and included snacks, video games, board games and more.

Members of the University’s Cosplay Club also participated, dressing up as superheroes to honor veterans who are heroes and super to many.

The primary goal of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs is to provide resources to UM students who are receiving federal VA benefits to fund their education.

It is housed in the newly revitalized Global and Community Outreach Building, which held an open house celebrating the renovated space on Sept. 15.

Elliot discussed how this building serves as a space for students who are active duty or dependents of veterans.

“It’s a really neat space where all those subpopulations can come together with one common thread.”