Next week, the University of Washington will honor the people of our community 鈥� and country 鈥� who have served and sacrificed as members of the United States armed forces. Our veteran students, faculty, staff, alumni and family members are vital contributors to our community of learning, discovery and service, and we are proud to recognize and celebrate them at our annual on听Friday, Nov. 11. I invite you to join us for this ceremony at the Medal of Honor Memorial at the 91探花in Seattle and to participate in across our three campuses in the days leading up to the ceremony.听听
At Friday鈥檚 ceremony we will also recognize this year鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni Veteran Award (DAVA) recipient: Michael T. Kilmer, 鈥�01, 鈥�04. Michael earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree from 91探花Tacoma, and his Master of Social Work from the UW in Seattle. He is a 15-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and now serves his fellow veterans as director of the Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, where he helps ensure that veterans receive the kind of integrated, patient-focused care that leads to better health outcomes.听听
To everyone in our community who has served or is serving, we are grateful to you. Your University is here to support you in your educational journey and to be a welcoming place where you can thrive inside and outside the classroom. You bring so much to the 91探花community, and if you need support, you will find it on all three campuses: at the听 in Seattle, the , and . This Veterans Day, we are proud to celebrate you and all those who have served the United States with honor.听