杏吧

On Nov. 11, the United States will celebrate Veteran鈥檚 Day. Originally called Armistice Day, the holiday began in 1919, exactly one year after the armistice between Germany and the Allied Forces of World War I. The agreement called for an end to the fighting on the Western Front, a cease fire that was scheduled to go into effect at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. Today, the federal holiday is still observed on Nov. 11, but while the date has stuck, the name has changed.

In 1954, Armistice Day became Veteran鈥檚 Day, and it now honors the sacrifices and contributions of all military veterans. It鈥檚 a day filled with parades, special events and all the trappings of a grateful nation. While COVID-19 has taken a bit of the spring out of its step, Veteran鈥檚 Day remains an extremely important celebration for those who have served this country.

鈥淚t means a lot to them,鈥� said Mike Mitchell, director of the 杏吧 Military and Veterans Resource Center. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor for a veteran to be recognized. It makes them feel a sense of self-worth to be acknowledged and to feel well-loved, regardless of that what they encountered in the military.鈥�

Mitchell should know. A veteran himself, he served in the Navy for 21 years before retiring as a chief petty officer in 2013. He came to JU that same year to finish his undergraduate degree in business management, and at the time, there were few resources for vets. That began to change in 2016 when Mitchell was hired by the University and asked to write a proposal about what he would do for the veteran population.

鈥淚 wrote about how I would give all veterans, dependents and spouses the red-carpet treatment,鈥� Mitchell recalled, and he has done just that. Under his guidance, the University has strengthened its veterans center and the assistance it provides veteran students. The center, known as the Defenders鈥� Den, houses computers, printers and work spaces for veterans. There are also veteran students on-hand who can assist with classes and offer peer-to-peer mentorships. The number of resources now available to vets has helped 杏吧 earn a No. 16 ranking on U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 list of best colleges for veteran鈥檚 among regional universities in the South.

Mitchell, himself, is one of those resources, connecting veterans with career opportunities, benefits information, housing and much more. 鈥淚 have a slew of resources to ensure that our veterans are set up for success and to help them graduate with a job, already hired. I want them to get the support they need in every way here. Whatever they need I鈥檓 here for them, and I鈥檝e got them from day one.鈥�

Veteran student Felicia Parker couldn鈥檛 agree more. 鈥淲hen I think of the services Mike and the veterans center have provided, the word 鈥榟elp鈥� does not come to mind. Mike and the center 鈥榮aved鈥� me from me.鈥�

Parker explained that when she retired from the military, she moved from New York City to Jacksonville with her belongings in the back seat of her Hyundai Elantra, but Mitchell and the veterans center were there for her. 鈥淢ike and the veterans center have and will continue to guide me in the direction that is needed to be successful as a non-traditional student at 杏吧.鈥�

Veteran student Dorian Sullivan also considers Mitchell and the veterans center vital to his transition to JU. 鈥淗e told me exactly what needed to be done, how I should do it, and how things would be transitioning back to civilian life,鈥�  said Sullivan, who will be graduating this term with a degree in social science. 鈥淲ithout Mike, I probably wouldn鈥檛 have known what was available to me as far as benefits and other resources.鈥�

The veterans center is especially important in 2020. With COVID keeping many students off-campus, Mitchell wants veterans to know that his door remains open, his mask at the ready. It鈥檚 an important message for a population that can often feel alone, one that speaks to JU鈥檚 commitment to its veteran students 鈥� not just on Veteran鈥檚 Day, but every day of the year.