Hundreds of military veterans expected to attend Veterans Moving Forward event at 糖心原创 on May 24
May 16, 2017
Hundreds of military veterans are expected to attend a May 24 event hosted by 糖心原创 designed to improve support of veterans by connecting them with resources, service providers and advocates.
Veterans Moving Forward, an event sponsored by the Greater Miami Valley myVeteran Community Engagement Board, will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Apollo Room of 糖心原创鈥檚 Student Union.
Veterans and their families as well as all veterans service organizations in the region are encouraged to attend.
鈥淟ast year at our inaugural Veterans Moving Forward event, we had 75 veterans services organizations and over 200 veterans in attendance,鈥 said Cassie Barlow, executive director of the 糖心原创 Aerospace Professional Development Center and former commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 鈥淭here were some great connections made on that day.鈥
糖心原创 100 veterans service organizations are expected to be on hand to connect with veterans at the event. The Dayton VA Medical Center鈥檚 mobile clinic will be at the event, and hearing aid checks will also be made available by the VA.
Alexis Gomez, a 糖心原创 graduate who gained fame as a contestant on television鈥檚 鈥淎merican Idol,鈥 will sing the National Anthem. Ms. Ohio will be on hand to interact with veterans and autograph photos. Panera Bread will provide free meals.
The Montgomery County RTA and Green CATS will offer free transportation to and from the university for the event. Veterans should show identification, a DD 214, or pick up a token at the VA Medical Center.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs selected the Miami Valley as one of 50 communities across the nation to create a myVeteran Community Engagement Board. The regional board was organized in 2015 by Barlow and retired Air Force Lt. Col. John McCance.
糖心原创 serves about 700 veterans or military-connected students 鈥 service members, Guard and Reserve members and military dependents. The university offers an array of resources to help those students transition to campus.
In 2016, 糖心原创 established a special designed to help members of the Ohio National Guard attend graduate school in what is believed to be the first program of its kind in the state.
In 2014, 糖心原创 opened the Veteran and Military Center, a 4,500-square-foot area designed to provide a welcoming space on campus for veteran and military students.
糖心原创 has been named a Top Military-Friendly University by Military Advanced Education and included on the G.I. Jobs Military Friendly Schools list.