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Office of Student Veterans
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Happy you are here. We write to give a warm welcome back to the start of the Spring 2021 semester. Our office recognizes the many difficulties the past year presented to us and we hope this break provided a time to rest and recharge. As we begin a new semester, we invite you to take advantage of virtual opportunities to remain connected and continue looking after each other.
We are kicking off the semester with a Duke Veterans Virtual Happy Hour and hosting a Duke Women Veteran’s Coffee Hour on the first Thursday of every month. There will also be various other opportunities this Spring to make new connections and build relationships.
We would also like to take a moment to express our continued support to the veteran and military-affiliated community here at Duke during this time. We are aware that more states are calling upon the National Guard to provide COVID-19 vaccine support and troops are deployed to D.C. for the inauguration. In the case you are enrolled in credit coursework and you are called up, our office is here to provide guidance and advocacy for you. Whether it be reminders of the past, concerns about close friends who are currently serving downrange, or uncertainty about your next duty assignment, we recognize that this can be a challenging time and are here to ensure your success every step of the way. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Our thoughts are with you, your families, and your brothers and sisters in arms.
Warmest Regards,
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Duke Military Call-Up PolicyIn the instance that any active student veteran is called to service, know that Duke is well prepared to continue supporting you. The University Military Call-Up Policy can be found here and on our website under Academic Resources. It thoroughly outlines how the university will respond to any students who are called on orders mid-semester. Please note that while the policy references students notifying their Dean, graduate and professional students should go to their program directors/Director of Graduate Studies if they are called up. We encourage students to proactively talk with professors and supervisors early in the semester if you think this is possible.
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Spring 2021 Student Veteran Opportunities2021-2022 Graduate & Resident Assistant: Interested in the Graduate Resident (GR) or Resident Assistant (RA) positions at the Housing and Residence Life at Duke? GRs and RAs serve as mentors, community resources, help resolve conflict, build community, and confront violations of Housing or University policy. Graduate and Professional Students are eligible to apply and participate in the RA role, however, must be willing to live on campus, have a 2.5 GPA, and be in good conduct and academic standing. The final deadline to submit an application for the 2021-2022 RA position is February 5, 2021. Access the full RA position description here and apply here. Check out the HRL social media and website for more information.
Office of Student Veterans Graduate Assistant: The Office of Student Veterans will be hiring a new Graduate Assistant to begin as early as this May. More information and position description coming soon!
COVID-19 Vaccination Volunteers: The Durham VA is looking for volunteers to help support vaccination clinics for eligible veterans in our community. More information and volunteer role descriptions are coming soon!
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| Meet Our Community: LTC Joshua Roberts
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LTC Joshua Roberts grew up in Western North Carolina. He enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1997 as a Combat Engineer and served with the 391st EN Battalion. After graduating from Appalachian State University, LTC Roberts was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry.
The photo of LTC Roberts taken above is from The New York Times Article "Taking Lead, Iraqi's Hope U.S. Special Operations Commando's Stay." LTC Roberts’ initial assignment was with 2-87 Infantry, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York where he served as an Infantry Platoon Leader, Mortar Platoon Leader, and Executive Officer. During this time, LTC Roberts deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom multiple times. Following the Infantry Captain’s Career Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course, LTC Roberts was assigned to 5th Special Forces Group. LTC Roberts was assigned to 1st Battalion and served as an Assistant Operations Officer and Detachment Commander for ODA 5116, where he deployed to Iraq multiple times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Following completion of the Naval Post Graduate School, he returned to 5th Special Forces Group and served as a Global War on Terror Planner. During this time, LTC Roberts deployed to serve as the Special Operations Command-Forward Yemen J-3. Following that deployment, LTC Roberts served as the Company Commander for the Advanced Skills Company, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and then the Army Special Operations Forces Assessment and Selection Company, 1st BN, 1st SWTG (Airborne).
Most recently, LTC Roberts served as the JNTC Cell Director within 1st Special Forces Command and is currently serving as the Professor of Military Science here at Duke University. He is married to Leah Roberts, and they have two wonderful children.
LTC Roberts appreciates and values the strong military community that resides in the area. If he can assist anyone or even just engage and establish new relationships with fellow veterans, feel free to contact him at joshua.d.roberts@duke.edu.
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Upcoming Spring 2021 EventsThe Office of Student Veterans is hosting a virtual Welcome Back Happy Hour, Wednesday, January 27, 2021, 5:00PM-6:00PM. Anyone from Duke's military-affiliated community is welcome. Join the Happy Hour here: https://duke.zoom.us/j/91865542549.
The Office of Student Veterans is hosting a virtual Women Veterans Coffee Hour on the first Thursday of every month, beginning Thursday, February 4, 2021, 10:00AM-11:00AM. Join the coffee hour here: https://duke.zoom.us/j/91865542549.
Duke Divinity Veterans Partnership and Black Seminarian Union are hosting a conversation with Brigadier General James R. Gorham (Ret.) on Thursday, March 11, 2021, 5:00PM-6:00PM. This discussion will cover topics that intersect spirituality, race, and leadership, based on his book Sharecroppers Wisdom. Register for the event here: https://form.jotform.com/203374352223144.
The Fuqua Veteran 5K Race is scheduled to take place virtually Spring 2021. Look for more details coming out for the event February 2021.
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Virtual Drop-In HoursHave a question? Just want to say hi? The Office of Student Veterans will be holding Spring 2021 virtual drop-in hours each Monday 9:30AM-10:30AM, Wednesday 10:00AM-11:00AM, and Friday from 1:00PM-2:00PM to serve you remotely.
To join OSV drop-in hours, log into Zoom and enter meeting ID: 3602279256.
If you would like to meet outside OSV virtual hours, please email our graduate assistant, Steph, at stephanie.hilton@duke.edu. She'll be happy to schedule you to meet with someone in our office.
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Veteran Student Council Update!The first virtually convened Veteran Student Council meeting for the 2020-2021 academic year was held Friday, September 11, 2020.
For those who have expressed interest in participating, you received a When2Meet in your email Tuesday, January 19, 2021 to schedule the Spring 2021 meeting.
If you have any questions about the Veteran Student Council, are interested in joining, or are/were not able to attend and would like meeting notes, please email Steph, our graduate assistant, at stephanie.hilton@duke.edu.
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Military-Affiliated Resources:Duwell DuWell helps students focus on their individual wellness by looking at the integration of many areas of their life through wellness promotion and risk mitigation. Director Tom Szigethy provides an overview of Duwell programs and opportunities for students to prioritize their well-being while at Duke. Click here to learn more about DuWell.
Access Duwell's Spring 2021 Schedule of Virtual Activities here.
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