The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will hold two separate, but linked ceremonies to honor the military on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The first, hosted by the University’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), will begin at 11:11 a.m. with an outdoor ceremony at the Carolina Alumni Memorial to recognize those veterans who have served our country in time of conflict, war and trial. Immediately following that ceremony, at 12:15 p.m., the University will host its second annual Tar Heel Tribute program at the Carolina Club to celebrate faculty, students and staff who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
The ceremony occurring at the Carolina Alumni Memorial, which is located on Cameron Avenue between Phillips (120 E. Cameron) and Memorial halls, focuses on honoring veterans and military members. The rain site will be at Gerrard Hall, which is on the opposite side of Memorial Hall from the memorial. This year’s speaker will be retired Maj. Gen. Lawrence L. Wells, who last commanded the 9th Air Force, headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. Previously, General Wells served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea. His commands include a fighter squadron, operations group, reconnaissance wing, and an air expeditionary wing in Southwest Asia.
The Tar Heel Tribute event, occurring in the Alumni Hall of the Carolina Club, provides an opportunity to thank veterans within our campus community for their dedication and service as well as provide a forum for attendees to learn more about the resources the University provides to assist military-affiliated employees and students. UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol L. Folt will be the keynote speaker.
“Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices America’s veterans have made here in the United States and around the world,” said Folt. “Honoring their military service is incredibly important, but here at Carolina, we also must do everything we can to help our veterans succeed as they move forward with their education and careers. The Tar Heel Tribute program brings us all together to help build the connections that can matter most.”
Some of the military and veteran resources at Carolina include:
- * UNC CORE, a UNC-Chapel Hill led program, is designed to accelerate higher education opportunities for North Carolina active duty military, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members. The system-wide initiative received $1 million of recurring funds to support program development in the 2015-2016 North Carolina budget.
- * The Student Veteran Assistance Coordinator, a new full-time position in the Office of the Dean of Students, works collaboratively with professionals across the university, state and local communities to help veterans navigate the higher education process and learn about resources specific to veterans.
- * UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School has a portfolio of online and on-campus programs empowering military personnel and veterans to leverage leadership, management and relationship skills that help them further their education and advance their career in today’s complex global environment.
- * Senior leaders from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Office of the Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs participate in custom programs through UNC Executive Development to accelerate senior leader transitions to new executive leadership roles, conduct strategic planning and train in executive leadership.
- * The UNC School of Medicine created a Physician Assistant (PA) master’s degree program designed with input from the United States Army Special Operations Command team at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The program’s unique mission includes recruiting non-traditional students, particularly veterans with medical experience, providing training in under-served areas, and pursuing public-private and public-military partnerships.
- * Warrior Scholar Project serves as a unique bridge for veterans by immersing them in an intensive program of reading and writing that prepares them for university-level coursework. Carolina is honored to be one of the 11 host institutions for the intensive, donor-funded “academic boot camp” that has demonstrated its value by preparing student-veterans to be leaders in the classroom and increasing veteran graduation rates.
- * The Green Zone Training Program was established to educate faculty and staff about issues facing veterans, including sensitive topics of discussion that may arise in the classroom. Since the program’s inception, more than 150 staff and faculty members have completed this special training.
- * The Veterans Program is being developed by the University’s Office of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office to offer service and programs for prospective and current employees, aid in recruiting veterans for employment and help develop the careers of veterans at UNC-Chapel Hill.
