Celebrating Veterans Nov. 11 and Beyond

As Thomas Nelson officials planned activities for Nov. 11 to honor its military community, they also had an eye toward the future.

At the volksmarch event scheduled for Sandy Bottom Nature Park in Hampton, T-shirts will be sold in the hopes of raising money for annual military and veterans scholarships at Thomas Nelson. The Steps for Vets program is encouraging people to walk 10,000 steps to honor the military, but those steps don't have to be taken just on Veterans Day.

One other item that could have a long-lasting effect is the "At Ease" podcast series that started in September. More than five podcasts have been produced.

Gary Pounder, athe College's assistant director for Veterans Recruitment, Retention and Advising, said he and his team wanted to take advantage of the College's new Press Play podcast studio.

"We were looking at new ways to communicate with the military community," he said. "It would be a great idea to (use more than) the traditional texts and emails."

His goal is to bring in experts in various programs and issues that are of importance to the Thomas Nelson military population and community.

So far, the "At Ease" podcasts have featured Don Miller, the assistant director of Veterans Business Outreach Center in Norfolk, who talks about transitioning from military to running a business; Master Sergeant Christine Caldwell, who discusses career opportunities in the Air Force Reserves; and Thomas Nelson Interim President Dr. Gregory DeCinque. In the most recent podcast, which was released Nov. 5, Pounder talks with Sandy Croushore, president of Peninsula Pathfinders, about the Veterans Day volksmarch.

They all have been popular.

"We've got a really good reaction so far. We know the podcasts are being listened to," Pounder said. "Our goal is, we would ideally like to produce at least one a week, certainly a minimum of at least two a month."

The podcasts can be found at https://www.vpcc.edu/virtual-studio/podcasts/.

Veterans Day events are:

9 a.m.-4 p.m. (at Sandy Bottom Nature Park): Volksmarch. Participants must start by 1 p.m.

11 a.m.: Virtual event begins with national anthem performed by Thomas Nelson choir.

11:11 a.m.: 11 seconds of silence to honor the military.

TBD: Student speakers, a virtual art show.

For more details, email specialevents@tncc.edu.