An Inside Look at the Longwood Student Veteran’s Group

Did you know that Longwood University is one of the only schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia that has a Student Veterans group? In the next couple of years, the number of student veterans on college campuses is going to increase immensely and every university should have a group like this on campus to better help these student veterans transition to their civilian life. Longwood University has had this organization for a year now and it is all thanks to one brave gentlemen, Greg Serwo. As a student veteran himself, Greg Serwo attends Longwood University and plans to graduate in May 2010. As a former active duty Marine and current Air Reserves man, Greg wanted to get involved with student veteran issues.

While transitioning to campus, Greg realized that there was no veteran-specific support available at Longwood University. It all started in the Summer of 2008 because of an assignment for Ms. Mary Caroll-Hackett’s English 400 class, Greg wrote a proposal to start a program on campus for student veterans. After having experienced the struggle of transitioning back into student and civilian life himself, he wanted to help student vets make a smoother transition back to their studies. He then took it one step farther and worked to pitch the idea to Longwood University’s President, Dr. Cormier. Dr. Cormier then assisted in introducing Greg to Mr. Tom DeWitt, who sits on the Board of Directors for The Aurora Foundation, which was created in October 2008 to help student veterans receive the support they need on campus.

Greg knew what it was going to take to get a Student Veteran Association created on campus. His initial goal is to hit close to home and then slowly broaden and expand as he reached out to more veterans. He intends to start small on campus and eventually expand the efforts to Walter Reed and the D.C. Metro hospitals where he will continue to support veterans. He wants to help other vets realize what opportunities lie ahead for them–starting with the G.I. Bill and going to college.

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Remembering Veterans Day From Long Ago

Armistice Day celebrated the end of World War I in 1918 and was the predecessor to Veterans Day. The fighting on the Western Front ended at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. This peace was ratified in the Treaty of Versailles the following year. The day was set aside to honor those who fought in “the war to end all wars,” particularly those who died.

Observance of the armistice was most popular in Europe (France still calls it Armistice Day). Over the years people in many countries took to wearing poppies and placing flowers on soldiers’ graves in honor of the fallen soldiers from WWI. The poppy was made popular by the now famous poem by a Scottish war veteran, which began with “In Flanders Field the poppies grow.” It was not until 1938 when the United States officially recognized Armistice Day. Most pre-boomers learned these facts in elementary school.

Veterans Day replaced the one-war holiday in 1954 so all those who served in the United States military, both in war and peace, could be collectively honored on November 11th each year. This year might be a good time to remember those who are in harms way in Iraq and Afghanistan. We owe all those serving in our Armed Forces a “thank you” for protecting our country and our way of life.

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NFL Teams To Salute Military On Veterans Day

Throughout the years, plenty of NFL players have visited soldiers stationed abroad And this year plenty of NFL teams are set to honor the military And its soldiers on Veterans Day.In1965, Pete Rozelle the NFL Commissioner desired to show the league’s support for military. They came up with the idea of sending players to Vietnam on goodwill tours.

In1966, USO And NFL teamed autoecism the first sports organization to send players to Vietnam And other parts of Asia. 2006 marks the 40th anniversary of this unique partnership Walter. Murren, the VicePresident of USO operations in Europe, mentioned that’s dedication to boosting the morale of servicemen serving outside America was clearly evident with leagues annual journeys to American military installations around the word This. year, Patrick Kerney Kearneylanta, Max Starksof Piitis Pittsburghryce Fisherof Seattle visited military personnel stationed at the Persian Gulf And Balkan.

Bryce Fisher is a graduate of AirForce Academy And is currently the Public Affairs Captain in the Washington Air National Guards.NFL And NFL Films have created a PSA to mark the40thanniversary, which will be aired Network And in the coursework of VeteransDay weekend game broadcasts.

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