Military & Veteran Affairs
Special Events
"22 A Day" Veterans Suicide Prevention Day 2022
Published on September 28, 2022
On September 22, 2022, the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs at Tennessee Tech once again hosted a display in the Centennial Plaza to raise awareness to the prevalence of suicide among veterans. This year, the department partnered with Tech's Counseling Center to set up booths and have staff available to provide suicide prevention resources at the event.
The month of September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month and the number 22 is the average number of veterans lost to suicide in the U.S. each day, based on a statistic from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Our "22 A Day" event gave visitors an opportunity to mourn the loss of a loved one to suicide, gather resources on how to identify the warning signs, as well as get information on how to reach out if they think someone might be contemplating suicide. A board was set up for visitors to post a name, photo, or simply compose a message in memory of those who have been lost to suicide.
We are grateful to everyone who stopped by. The more attention we bring to this topic, the more we can connect veterans and their loved ones to the resources they need.
Tech's Student Veterans Organization Assists in Center Hill Lake Shoreline Cleanup
Article from "Center Hill Lake hosts 6th annual shoreline cleanup with community partners" by Heather King, Nashville District Public Affairs, published March 30, 2022.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 29, 2022) – Volunteers from Tennessee Technical University’s fishing team, Student Veteran Organization (SVO), and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets, along with the Dekalb Fire Department, Dekalb County Sheriff’s Department, Austin Bottom Community, and the Timothy Hill Group, came to Center Hill Lake to lend assistance for the two-day cleanup.
Ten beautiful lakes stem from the Cumberland River in Kentucky and Tennessee to form the Nashville District. Maintaining the natural beauty of these lakes and their recreation areas require effort and partnerships between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District and local community partners.
Due to previous restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic and various high-water events throughout the district, lake and shoreline cleanup efforts were put on hold. As the 2022 recreation season rapidly approaches, Center Hill Lake relaunched their shoreline cleanup program. With help from the local community, Center Hill held their sixth annual cleanup at Sligo Marina.
Lt.Col. Nathan Branen, Nashville district’s deputy commander, attended the event stating, “Part of the Corps mission is to be good stewards of the public land. These cleanups not only allow us to fulfill our mission but helps us instill the message of good stewardship of our district’s natural resources to others in the community.”
Ensuring the shoreline, campgrounds, and recreational areas stay pristine is difficult for the Corps to handle alone. Ashley Webster, a park ranger at Center Hill Lake, explained, “Each year, Center Hill hosts over 1.7 million visitors. The fact we can come together several times a year to clean up the shorelines together displays the pride our visitors and local community have for Center Hill.”
For some volunteers, the spring cleanup effort is an opportunity to give back to their community. Travis Williams, an Army veteran, president of Tennessee Tech’s SVO, grew up in the area. “This is where I grew up, and I feel like I’m cleaning up my home.” Williams is no stranger to the Corps; his father works for the Nashville District. As SVO president, Williams reached out to his old friend Kevin Salvilla, the resource manager at Center Hill Lake, and asked for volunteer opportunities. “I really want the SVO to be more involved in the community. We have a lot of biology and wildlife majors; it’s important to connect them to that community while also providing professional connections.”
ROTC Cadet and sophomore at Tennessee Tech, Sierra Alexander, was equally eager to volunteer. “I really enjoy volunteering with the Corps!” Alexander, recently hired as a Geographic Information System intern with the Memphis District, hopes to work for the Corps permanently after her time in the Army is complete.
The DeKalb County Solid Waste Management donated an industrial size dumpster for the cleanup effort. After both days, the dumpster was filled to the brim of debris. The owners of Sligo Marina donated boats for trash removal, and transportation of the volunteers to the various sites along the shoreline. They also provided a free meal to all volunteers.
At the conclusion of the event, Kevin Salvilla, resource manager at Center Hill Lake, handed out certificates of appreciation to all the volunteers and said, “We sincerely appreciate your efforts to help us keep these areas clean, not just for your use, but for others in the future.”
"22 A Day" Veterans Suicide Prevention Day
Published on October 6, 2021
On September 22, the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs at Tennessee Tech hosted a display in the Centennial Plaza to raise awareness to the prevalence of suicide among veterans.
The date of September 22 for the observance is significant. The month of September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month and the number 22 is the average number of veterans lost to suicide in the U.S. each day, based on a statistic from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
This event gave visitors an opportunity to mourn the loss of a loved one to suicide, gather resources on how to identify the warning signs, as well as get information on how to reach out if they think someone might be contemplating suicide. A board was set up for visitors to post a name, photo, or simply compose a message in memory of those who have been lost to suicide.
We are grateful to everyone who stopped by. The more attention we bring to this topic, the more we can connect veterans and their loved ones to the resources they need.
Tech partners with Army National Guard to offer tuition deferment program
Tennessee Tech confirmed its commitment to students serving in the military as Tech President Phil Oldham announced a partnership agreement with the Tennessee Army National Guard that will make tuition payments more flexible for students utilizing Tennessee STRONG Act benefits.
With that agreement, Army National Guard members attending Tennessee Tech will be granted a deferment of university tuition and fee payments. The STRONG Act, which covers tuition and fees for Guard members earning their first degree, will then pay the university for those students’ tuition.
“Military service is part of the fabric of this university. Tennessee Tech and military service are proudly linked throughout our history,” Oldham said. “The STRONG Act is an opportunity to show our support for these service members. National Guard members make excellent students, faculty and staff. We are a better university because of them. This is an honor for us.”
A formal letter of intent was presented and signed by Adjutant General, Major General Jeffery Holmes, in a special meeting between Tennessee Army National Guard leadership and Tech administrators Monday.
“This is an incredible program and it is truly an honor to have such a prestigious university as this come forward to show support for our men and women of the Tennessee Army National Guard,” said Lt. Col. John Rigdon.
The letter will be displayed in Tech’s Eagle’s Wing Veterans Center.
“Our university has an entire department dedicated solely to serving our student veterans and service members,” Oldham said. “Military and Veteran Affairs Director Mary Benedict and the team in that department are committed to serving those who have served with excellence and they provide significant support through the educational benefits process.”
The STRONG Act, which stands for Support, Training and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen, was signed by Former Gov. Bill Haslam in 2017 and funds up to 120 credit hours, or eight full semesters for Guard members earning a first-time undergraduate degree.
Tech is one of a few post-secondary institutions partnering to offer this type of incentive for students utilizing STRONG Act benefits.
“At Tech, we talk about the ‘long purple line’ and the success of students in our ROTC program,” Oldham said. “ROTC has been active on our campus for more than 65 years and we are proud of that program and those students. This agreement is another way that long purple line that connects this university with military personnel and veterans continues.”
