Birmingham was home to the first Veterans Day celebration in 1919. ((Illustration by Thomas Baldwin).
Tamara Imam – Staff Writer
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This Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, UAB Veteran Recruitment and Student Services will honor those who have served in the United States military with its Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony. The fourth annual event takes place on the Campus Green at 1 p.m. Birmingham is an apt place to commemorate Veteran’s Day, as it is widely regarded as the birthplace of this national holiday.
According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the first celebration using the term “Veterans Day” occurred in 1947 in Birmingham, Ala., where World War II Veteran Raymond Weeks organized a parade to honor all veterans for their service in the armed forces. President Woodrow Wilson termed the holiday “Armistice Day” in 1919 to recognize those killed in combat during World War I.
U.S. Representative Edward Rees of Kansas later proposed legislation to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day, and in 1954, Congress passed the bill that President Dwight Eisenhower signed officially proclaiming Nov. 11 to be Veterans Day.
Today, veterans face many distinct challenges off the battlefield, particularly when it comes to higher education. According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2014 there are 21.8 million veterans of the U.S. armed forces. Of these, 92 percent aged 25 and older have a high school diploma, while only 26 percent have at least a bachelor’s degree.
This fall, 638 U.S. military veterans are currently pursuing undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees at UAB, in the city that first hailed them as heroes almost 70 years ago. One program in particular at UAB allows veterans to build a professional career in nursing alongside their careers in the military.
The Veterans Career Advancement in Nursing initiative is a unique, veteran-centered program at UAB offered through the School of Nursing. The program is funded through a grant from the Health Research Services Administration and helps veterans, including active duty and reservists, to transition to a professional nursing career by earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
According to Rhonda McLain, Ph.D., who has been the program director since its inception, Veterans CAN aims to increase the diversity of the professional nursing workforce, to recognize the contribution of military medical training and experience of veterans who desire a career in professional nursing and to promote the education of a nursing workforce that is equipped to provide high quality care. Students can be admitted to the Veterans CAN! Program as a premed student.
“The benefits to these veterans or students include the recognition of their previous skills, savings in time and money if the student is successful in the validation process exempting them from select courses and academic and social support for the students,” McLain said.
The Veterans CAN! Program at UAB was one of only nine in the United States, originally funded by Health Research Services in 2013. Today, there are 31 similar programs across the country, including one other in the state of Alabama.
Kscope spoke with two veteran students who are currently pursuing bachelor’s in nursing degrees through the Veterans CAN! Program at UAB.
“My experience as a veteran has not been the most pleasant. I’ve been pulled out of school several times having to attend trainings. I originally started at Troy University with plans to complete my pre-nursing courses and to apply to UAB School of Nursing because of the great reputation it has. Well, I had to withdraw from Troy because of military obligations,” said Omari Crawford, a U.S. Army veteran. “Once my training was complete I started here at UAB for my pre-nursing classes where I was again pulled out of school. The VCAN! Program has been such a blessing. The staff are really passionate about the program and really cater to our needs. There isn’t anything we need that they don’t handle. Being able to CLEP out of courses really lifts a lot of weight off my shoulders and makes juggling nursing school and the military easier.”
“Since I can remember, I’ve always found great pleasure in helping people and advocating for them when they could not do so for themselves, thus my career choice as a nurse. Along with that, I absolutely love being a part of the world’s best armed force. Obtaining a BSN is the only way that I can do what I love and be a part of what I love,” said Tanisha Jordan, U.S. Air Force veteran. “Besides going from an enlisted member to a commissioned officer, obtaining a BSN will allow me to switch gears as far as taking my focus off of equipment and focus on the people who’s responsible for operating the equipment. Obtaining a BSN. will open many doors for me, but the one that I’m most excited about is the opportunity to care for service members and veterans. It is truly an honor to be a part of UAB School of Nursing. The program is very tough, but I know it’s only to prepare me to be an excellent nurse, so I don’t mind.”
