Author: Larry Burks

The Military and Veterans Services stoles and cords are available for military and veteran students graduating in the spring. Stole choices are red or blue; cord is red, white and blue. Swing by the office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through May 9 on the third floor of the Shocker Success Center, room 318, to get your graduation regalia. Must present a Shocker ID at pickup.

Military and Veteran Services will provide stoles and cords for graduating student veterans for the fall semester. Call 316-978-3856 or stop by the office in 318 Student Success Center to pick them up. Students must show an ID and validate their graduation. Military and Veteran Services office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Join the Military and Veteran Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16 in 318 Shocker Success Center to celebrate the 249th anniversary of the U.S. Navy.

The Military and Veteran Center will host an all-day, come-and-go event to honor those who have served and those currently serving in the Navy. The Navy was established on Oct. 13, 1775. The Military and Veteran Center will have a gift basket drawing for this event as well.

The Veteran Center has stoles and cords for military and veteran students graduating in spring 2024. Stole choice is red or blue; cord is red, white and blue.

Come by its office 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. until May 10 in 105 Grace Wilke Hall to get your graduation regalia. Must present a Shocker ID.

The Military and Veteran Center will host an open house in honor of Veterans Day from Nov. 8 to Nov. 9 in Grace Wilkie Hall, with the opening ceremony for the event starting at 2 p.m. Nov. 8 on the front lawn at the flag pole.

Veterans should submit their name, branch of service and a photo (if one is available) so it can be included in the Veterans Day Tribute that will run in the center during the celebration. The information should be provided no later than Nov. 6 to Larry Burks, director of Military and Veteran Services, at larry.burks@wichita.edu. Come by and honor our veterans for their service to the nation. Light refreshments will be provided during the celebration event.

Wichita State’s Military and Veteran Services encourages everyone to take time today to pause for a moment of silence in honor of those who sacrificed so much, who inspired a multitude to service, and who strengthened the spirit of unity as a nation, and will have a banner in 105 Grace Wilke Hall that members of the community can sign acknowledging that they will not forget. The center will be open all day.

Each year on the anniversary of 9/11, the families of victims gather for a ceremony on the 9/11 Memorial Plaza to read aloud the names of the 2,983 men, women and children killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and Feb. 26, 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Six moments of silence mark the times when each of the World Trade Center towers was struck, when each tower fell, and the times corresponding to the attack at the Pentagon, and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

Honoring the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9981, the Military and Veteran Center will host a brief ceremony at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 26 in 262 Rhatigan Student Center, Herrman Room. A proclamation from Gov. Laura Kelly will be presented honoring this milestone, with Kansas Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau presenting the proclamation on her behalf.

On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, creating the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services. The order mandated the desegregation of the U.S. military.

The Military and Veteran Center will be closed from Monday, July 10 through Thursday, July 13.

The staff will be attending an out-of-state conference during this timeframe. They will be monitoring all emails and will respond to any queries at the end of each day. Office hours will resume Friday, July 14.

The Veteran Center will acknowledge the service of Vietnam era veterans and/or family members with a commemorative pin and certificate in accordance with the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017, which designates every March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

The event is at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 29 in 105 Grace Wilke Hall, and the event is open for all to attend.

The Community Outreach Team from Robert J. Dole Veterans Affairs Medical Center will host a resource fair sharing information on VA health care and the PACT Act 2022 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16 on the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center.

Veterans can enroll in VA health care programs and assistance will be on hand to process disability claims and other benefits.

This event is open to all veterans, dependents and family members. Bring a copy of your DD-214 and most recent tax return in order to expedite enrollment and claims.