11/11/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/11/2024 13:32
Vanderbilt's commitment to support active-duty and veteran service members, as well as the U.S. military establishment, has been ingrained in the university's history for more than a century, when the campus's first Reserve Officer Training Corps unit was formed by the U.S. Army in 1918.
Veterans Day Breakfast 2024 (L-R) Captain Aron Buckles, Bass Scholar Amanda Imperato, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, Cecilio Ponce, Lieutenant Colonel Christine Kendzior, Jill Stratton (Harrison McClary/Vanderbilt)In the ensuing decades, a mutually beneficial relationship grew. Broadly, the military strengthened educational partnerships, Vanderbilt became a destination for veterans on the GI Bill, and in 1945 the U.S. Navy ROTC formed a unit on campus.
Vanderbilt Veteran's Day Breakfast 2024 (Harrison McClary/Vanderbilt)The stalwart dedication by the university and the military to the values of service, leadership and community inspired novel programs that benefit society while also educating aspiring, current and former service members. The enduring excellence of the ROTC programs exemplifies the university's dedication to service members and is a model for new programs and collaborations.
Key partnerships with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs directly support long-term well-being and educational opportunities:
Vanderbilt provides additional support for veterans to further their careers as civilians:
Vanderbilt's commitment to enhancing military excellence integrates its culture of discovery, innovation and thought leadership. The Vanderbilt Institute of National Security launched in September 2024 to support national security efforts though cutting-edge research, educational programs and strategic partnerships.
Vanderbilt University Institute of National Security Paul M. Nakasone is founding director of Vanderbilt's Institute of National Security. (Submitted photo)Led by retired Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, Distinguished Research Professor of Engineering Science and Management at the School of Engineering and special advisor to the chancellor, the institute will address urgent threats to national security and develop national security leaders. A former commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency, Nakasone began his military service as an ROTC cadet at St. John's University. His career illustrates the potential offered by ROTC programs.
Army ROTC cadets participated in a Stop the Bleed course at The Ingram Commons in October 2021. (Vanderbilt University)For Vanderbilt, Nakasone's position with the institute is perhaps a culmination of its support for the military that began so long ago with an ROTC unit.
The institute is just the latest in a series of efforts related to the military:
Beyond these formal programs and their direct benefit, spontaneous opportunities arise when military leaders and veterans live, lead, work and learn within the campus community. For example, a group of computer science students recently went to DEFCON-32 with Nakasone, who served as keynote speaker. They learned about computer- and hacking-related subjects, as well as cyber-security challenges, among established hackers, security experts and other professionals dedicated to cyber awareness.
In alignment with Immersion Vanderbilt, this experience provided real-world exposure to classroom content, with the added benefit of Nakasone's deep content expertise-just one outcome of the generational relationship with the nation's military.
Some of the Bass Military Scholars at the Veterans Day Breakfast 2024 (Harrison McClary/Vanderbilt)