Princeton’s campus — literally star-studded with reminders of its robust historical ties to military service — paused on Nov. 11 for the commemoration of Veterans Day, beginning with a Chapel service at 9 a.m. followed by a reception at Murray Dodge Hall.
President of Princeton Student Veterans Richard Kertatos ’26 opened the chapel service, which featured remarks from Captain Kelley T. Jones GS, who is the U.S. Navy’s 2023 Arthur S. Moreau Scholar at the University. Jones is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in security studies.
“Veterans Day serves as a moment to reflect upon the sacrifices made by both living and deceased veterans who have dedicated their lives to the service of our nation,” she said in her address, which discussed progress towards racial and gender equity in the armed services.
The group Princeton Student Veterans (PSV) has also engaged in ongoing efforts to integrate veterans’ experiences into campus life and raise awareness among students about the contributions that veterans bring to the University community. The group of veterans has substantially grown since the University reinstated its transfer program in 2018. Now, approximately 90 veterans study at the University, compared to one in 2016.
In her remarks at the service, Jones told the story of her family’s connection to a deadly explosion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine on July 17, 1944. Two ships loading ammunition for Pacific troops exploded, instantly killing 320 servicemen, injuring 400 others, and disintegrating all structures within a thousand-foot radius — the worst homefront disaster of World War II, according to the National Park Service.
Jones explained that Black soldiers were told to clean up the remains of fellow soldiers, while white officers were put on leave. After refusing to continue their dangerous work, the Black soldiers were court martialed for disobeying orders and were convicted with bad conduct discharges. They only received a full exoneration this July.
Jones’s great-uncle was among those killed in the explosion. She noted that at the time, he would not have been able to have the position in the Navy she holds today as a Black woman.
“Over the 80 past years, civil rights advocates, alongside government officials, have diligently endeavored to prevent the recurrence of incidents rooted in discrimination. The military continues to examine overt expressions of racism,” she said. “The battle remains ongoing, underscoring the need for calling out negative behavior.”
Army veteran Susan McLernon ’27 said she appreciated that the keynote speaker addressed the military’s progress towards ensuring the dignity of all service members. When her mother joined the Marine Corps in the 1960s, McLernon said, a red lipstick was issued as part of her uniform. When McLernon served in the army from 1999–2003, women were not allowed in active combat situations.
“We still have work to do, I’m not going to pretend that we don’t. There are still some terrible statistics in regards to people of color and women especially. Having our keynote speaker speak about that — to mark that moment, that things have not always been good, [but] they are getting better,” she said.
“They are getting better, but our active duty and service people deserve more, and it’s usually the veteran community that rallies to get these things done, because, if nothing else, veterans will take care of their own,” McLernon added.
McLernon also serves as the director of advocacy for PSV, which works to support veteran students. Over the past year, she and PSV helped establish Veteran Tiger Talk, a drop-in support group for veteran students. Last year, the University hired a Veteran Coordinator within the Emma Bloomberg Center to help veterans navigate the transition to university and civilian life.
In addition to University efforts, PSV also holds career networking events for veterans, coordinates weekly golf lessons for Veterans with PGA Hope to build connections, and plans to host a Salvation Army Angel Tree fundraiser to donate Christmas gifts to children in need.
“We wanted to bridge the gap between the traditional students and our organization, and we just figured [the donation event] is a good thing for everybody,” Kertatos explained.
McLernon and Hadi Kamara ’26, who served in the Air Force, both told the ‘Prince’ that professors and academic spaces are welcoming to veterans and the experiences they bring into the classroom. McLernon highlighted Professor Gary Bass’s Human Rights class she took last year with three other veterans, all of whom brought their career experience to the course.
Kamara told the ‘Prince,’ “My professors will find out that I serve the military, and they’re very appreciative of the fact that they have somebody who comes into the class with real world experiences that differ from students who may have taken a more traditional academic route to get to Princeton.”
According to Kamara, veterans are “super enthusiastic about their service, and they're willing to share the experiences that they've had.” He added that students are often curious about veterans’ experiences, and encouraged them to ask veterans about their experiences, careers, and routes to Princeton.
McLernon told the ‘Prince,’ “Instead of just saying ‘Thank you for your service’ to a veteran, ask them what it was like, and be willing to listen.”
Elisabeth Stewart is an assistant News editor for the ‘Prince’ who typically covers student groups and religious life on campus.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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