Rome Reporter

For more than a decade, Emory has hosted an annual Veterans Day ceremony to honor those who served in the Armed Forces. All faculty, staff, students and alumni are invited to attend the commemoration on Friday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. on the Quad.

Andrew West has worked at Emory since he graduated from Emory with a degree in history in 1993. West, who also served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves for 20 years, helped start the university’s Veterans Day commemoration in 2009. He recalls being frustrated at the lack of acknowledgment of Veterans Day on campus and enlisted the assistance of former vice president Gary Hauk in getting the first ceremony going. That first year it rained, but the positive impact on the community was apparent. 

“My mom, dad and sister usually come to this event as well,“ says West, who is the executive center administrator at the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance. “Whenever I had annual training, or I got activated during my reserve tenure, they took care of everything. Veterans Day is about recognizing the living and those who have since passed for all of their service and sacrifice.”

Matt Ball, who is pursuing a master’s of business administration at Goizueta Business School, will serve as master of ceremonies this year. The program will start with a salute to the flag during the National Anthem. Then, there will be a moment of silence for Armistice Day, which marks the end of World War I hostilities at the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th month. The ceremony will close with the “Armed Forces Medley,” followed by refreshments.

The 2022 Veterans Day event will also include an honor guard with Emory veterans and Army ROTC cadets. Undergraduate students planning military careers can participate in Army or Air Force ROTC through a cross-enrollment agreement with Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State University (KSU). Students complete their undergraduate degrees at Emory and military training at KSU. 

Hunter Bryson, a fourth-year finance major, is in the Army ROTC program. Bryson, who is from Jackson, Mississippi, will be participating in the Honor Guard. He says he knew he wanted to do something in the military because his father and grandfathers on both sides of the family served in the Armed Forces.  

Bryson says that, for him, Veterans Day “is a recognition for all those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces to contribute to something bigger than themselves.”

The guest speaker this year is Matt Wain, who is a U.S. Army veteran and chief executive officer of Emory University Hospital, Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital, Emory University Hospital Smyrna and Emory University Hospital at Wesley Woods. At the ceremony, he will speak to attendees about the myriad ways Emory supports veterans, from employment to support with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, part of the Emory Brain Health Center, provides expert, collaborative care for post-9/11 veterans and service members dealing with variety of mental health concerns, including PTSD, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, depression and anxiety. Treatment options include outpatient and intensive outpatient programs that integrate care in multiple areas, including psychiatry, neurology, sleep, rehabilitative medicine, wellness and family support.

Emory is also one of 18 nursing schools nationwide selected for the elite Veteran Affairs Nursing Academic Partnership through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Undergraduate and graduate nursing students selected for the program gain valuable training in providing quality care for our nation’s veterans. One of those students is U.S. Navy reservist De’Miah Greene, who is in the accelerated BSN program. 

Greene, who is from Americus, Georgia, earned her bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University before enlisting at the encouragement of relatives who also served. While stationed in Lemoore, California, she was a hospital corpsman. The experience made her want to pursue a nursing career to help other veterans. At the ceremony, Greene will be marching with the Honor Guard. 

“Growing up, I loved hearing stories from my aunts and uncles who served in the military,” says Greene. “It made me feel good to be a part of something that serves a greater purpose. At the same time, it’s a lot of sacrifice to be away from your family, and Veterans Day is a day to commemorate and thank those who served honorably.”

Emory’s support for veterans

In addition to the Emory Healthcare and School of Nursing programs, there are other initiatives for veterans across campus. The Campus Life Veterans Committee is currently asking students to update their veteran status in OPUS so the university can have a more accurate count of veterans on campus.

Through the Yellow Ribbon program, Emory provides funding to help post-9/11 veterans pay for educational expenses beyond what is covered by the G.I. Bill. 

The Emory Law Volunteer Clinic for Veterans provides pro bono legal services for veterans, assisting them and their families with legal issues, including disability claims, before the Veterans Administration and subsequent appellate proceedings, estate work and discharge upgrades before the Department of Defense.

For more information on how Emory supports veterans, visit the admissions page.

Original source can be found here.