For many students transitioning from the rigid structure of military service to the fluid, often isolating landscape of higher education, the return to civilian life is not just a change in schedule—it is a fundamental shift in identity. At the University of Nevada, Reno, that transition is being met this week with a deliberate, campus-wide effort to bridge the gap between those who have served and the broader student body. Rather than restricting recognition to the federal holiday on November 11, the university has expanded its observance into a period of engagement.
The stakes of this initiative are personal, rooted in the lived experience of those who have moved between the barracks and the classroom. John Pratt, the interim director of Veteran Services, knows that silence is often the default setting for veterans on campus. “I know when I got out of the Marines, I felt like I didn’t fit in, or I was kind of on the outside of most groups,” Pratt shared. “It wasn’t until I connected with another veteran that I realized it wasn’t just me, that a lot of veterans felt the same way.”
Building a Community Beyond the Classroom
The programming for the week is designed to move beyond ceremonial gestures, focusing instead on the tangible, everyday needs of the military-connected community. On November 5, the University Veterans and Military Center (VMC) hosts a Veteran Support Social from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. to provide an environment for students and staff to connect and learn about resources available to help veterans succeed on campus.
The schedule continues with a dedicated information table in the KC Breezeway on Friday, November 6, where the Veteran Services team will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to answer questions and meet members of the campus community.
The Symbolism of Service and Sacrifice
The week takes on a more reflective tone as it approaches the federal holiday. On November 9, the campus marks Military Family Member Day, encouraging the community to wear purple—a color chosen because it represents the combination of all official military branch colors and a symbol of unity for military families and children. Everyone is invited to participate in the festivities by joining Veteran Services for a pizza and ice cream social at the VMC, running from 12 – 3 p.m.
This atmosphere of respect culminates in a profound visual display on the JCSU lawn. On November 4, student veterans, faculty, and the Wolf Pack Vets club installed 1,000 flags, creating a temporary memorial that sets the stage for a formal flag retirement ceremony on November 10. This event, held at 11:30 a.m. at the JCSU Plaza, is a ritualistic disposal of flags no longer fit for service, led by the student veterans themselves. It acts as a bridge between the military tradition of honoring the flag and the history and traditions it represents. The public is welcome to join the ceremony and the subsequent meal, with ASUN hosting a lunch in the Graduate Student Lounge between 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
While the events are centered on the military community, Pratt emphasizes that the most significant impact comes from the participation of non-veterans. Curiosity, he suggests, is a powerful tool for integration. “For nonveterans, it is an opportunity to learn more about the military connected community and show your support,” Pratt said. “You don’t have to thank us for our service; it means a lot that you are curious and genuinely want to learn or understand. By showing up, it means a lot.”
The Social Reality of the Veteran Student
The push to integrate veterans into the university community arrives at a time when conditions for those leaving the military remain complex. The University of Nevada, Reno model appears to challenge this by making the events open to all, using the veteran experience as a point of entry for dialogue rather than a barrier. By inviting the entire campus to the VMC for lunch or to the JCSU Plaza for the retirement ceremony, the university is attempting to normalize the veteran presence, turning a specialized support function into a mainstream feature of the campus experience.
As the campus prepares to close on November 11 for the federal holiday, the week’s events leave behind a question of sustainability: how can these connections be maintained once the flags are pulled from the lawn and the social events conclude? The answer, according to the university’s approach, lies in the daily, quiet work of the Veteran Services office, which remains the primary point of contact for students long after the ceremonies end.
