Student Veterans Association hosting event to raise awareness of student veterans

Northwest Missouri State University’s Student Veterans Association will host “Home of the Brave” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, in front of the J.W. Jones Student Union and Memorial Bell Tower.

The event, which is free to attend, will include a barbecue and resource fair for all students and employees. The event will open with the playing of the national anthem, which will be sung by Kaitlynn Daniels, a Student Veterans Association officer. Capt. James Richardson, Officer-in-Charge for the Show-Me GOLD program, will lead the Color Guard.

“This event is most important with recent events in Afghanistan,” Thomas Goldizen, president of the Student Veterans Association, said. “It is extremely important for our student veterans on campus who have served in Afghanistan to know that they are not alone.”

The Student Veterans Association recognizes Northwest service members and veterans while emphasizing support for veterans to ease their transition to civilian life and help them build connections on and off campus.

Through the Home of the Brave event, the organization hopes to raise awareness for veterans who have difficulty crossing from military service to civilian life.

“We, as an organization, hope to challenge students and staff alike to see the experiences veterans go through,” Goldizen said. “Suicide, particularly that of veterans, is an epidemic, and everyone deserves to be helped and have a voice.”

Designated a Military Friendly School, Northwest partners with multiple veterans organizations and regularly hosts a veterans service officer to assist with filing for VA benefits. Northwest participates in several federal and Missouri state programs such as the GI Bill and Missouri Returning Heroes and offers a variety of scholarships for military personnel and veterans, including a National Guard Scholarship to assist military students with housing.

In partnership with the Missouri Army National Guard, Northwest also offers the Guard Officer Leadership Development (GOLD) program to develop qualified Missouri citizens into commissioned officers through classroom instruction, leadership laboratories and a physical conditioning program.

For more information about resources and activities available to student veterans at Northwest, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/veterans/.