TIFTON- In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill officially establishing Veterans Day as a national holiday. Saturday, there were ceremonies and services recognizing those who have served their country in the military around the country.
At Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the college offers various forms of support throughout the year. The most significant resource is the Melvin L. Merrill Veterans Center, according to Jessica Miller, who has served as the Veterans Affairs Certifying Official at ABAC for more than a decade.
“Veteran students are consistently some of the most outstanding individuals on our campus,” said Miller, who also serves as ABAC’s bursar. “They exhibit a remarkable commitment to their education, resulting in a commendable graduation rate. I consider it a privilege to be able to offer assistance to those who have selflessly served our nation. Although it can be quite demanding, it is also incredibly fulfilling.”
Merrill, the former ABAC Chief Development Officer and an Army veteran, was instrumental in the design and construction of the Veterans Center before retiring in 2015. Since its opening in August 2015 in Branch Hall and subsequent relocation to the Carlton Center in 2020, the center has served as a valuable source of solidarity and comfort for veteran students, according to Miller. It provides essential amenities, including computer access, study spaces, a lending library and a kitchen stocked with donated snacks and beverages.
Miller said that veteran students enjoy priority one registration status, ensuring they are among the first to register for classes, and upon graduation, they are honored with a United States Veteran stole and tassel to display during commencement ceremonies. Additionally, veteran students can apply for the “Pinky” Durham Jr. Scholarship through the ABAC Alumni Association if their tuition and fees are not fully covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“It’s a privilege for ABAC to provide support for our veterans in a variety of ways,” said ABAC President Tracy Brundage. “Veterans Day is a great time to thank them for their service. But their commitment to our country is something for all of us to keep in mind every day.”
Student veterans may also join the Student Veterans Association, which helps them transition into an academic and civilian life, provides support with academic and veteran specific issues, and helps with navigating VA Orientation.
Allie Gibbs, a nursing major from Philadelphia, served eight years in the Army and another seven in the Air Force Reserves. She enrolled at ABAC in 2022 and utilizes the Veterans Center often.
“My husband is stationed at Moody Air Force Base, and I knew I wanted to use my GI Bill to study nursing,” she said. “ABAC’s ASN program really stood out to me compared to some of the other programs. When I first enrolled, I was put in contact with Jessica Miller, who made the GI Bill process so seamless and easy. She’s always available to answer any questions I have.
“Additionally, the veteran’s lounge has been a wonderful study area for me and my peers,” she added. “I’ve spent many late nights studying in there.”
Gibbs expects to graduate in December and plans to work as a registered nurse at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta while continuing her education to obtain her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
“I’ve also been considering commissioning to be a nurse in the Air Force once I obtain my BSN,” she added. “I plan to serve 20 plus years total in the military so I can retire.”
Jason Gentry, a Blakely native who works as the ABAC Student Accounts Coordinator, served in the Marines before coming to both study and work at the college.
“The Veterans Center provided me and other veteran students with a place that we could study, relax, and get tutoring help,” he said. “Without the help I received in the Veterans Center, I would not have graduated in May 2020. Now, in my role as Student Accounts Coordinator, I get to work with the Veteran Certifying Official and the Student Veteran Organization to give back to current and future veteran students.”
Veterans also number among ABAC’s proud alumni.
Luke Rabun, who joined the Air Force Reserve in 2012, began attending ABAC under the GI bill in 2014. He graduated as an agricultural business major in 2018 and works with the Department of Natural Resources as a game warden in Coffee County.
“I started out as a wildlife major, and the only school I thought about attending was ABAC,” he said. “DNR was never on my radar until a fellow student veteran told me about it.”
Rabun was still a student when the Veterans Center opened. He said the support he received from the center and the Student Veteran Association, where he served as president, was beneficial.
“It was one of the things that really helped me get through,” he said.