On Veterans Day, I think about the people I served alongside during my 25 years in the U.S. Air Force, and about the families who shared in the demands of that service. For most service members, frequent moves mean continually starting over in a new community. Deployments mean months away from family and friends, or managing a household from two different places. And through it all, service members miss milestones – birthdays, anniversaries, holidays – moments that can’t be rescheduled when duty calls. Those sacrifices, demands, and experiences shape military service. They are not always pleasant but they make the profession of arms unique, valuable, and rewarding. And they are also the reasons we celebrate our veterans each year.
Community college helped open doors in my own life. The associate degrees I earned while in the military gave me a foundation to continue my education, and they served me well in my Air Force career and later, when I pivoted to academia. I want the 322 military associated students, faculty, and staff at CCD to find that same open door. One way we do that is through our Veterans Services Center:. its team helps veterans put their education benefits to work and makes sure the training and experience they earned in uniform count toward college credit. Eligible spouses, dependent children, and survivors can also explore education and career benefits for military families through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Veterans Day gives us a moment to pause and express our gratitude. This Wednesday, I invite you to join our campus community for the Auraria Veterans Day Celebration, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as we honor those who have served. At CCD, we can carry that gratitude into the rest of the year by helping veterans and their families turn their experience, ambition, and hard work into an education they can build on.
To our veterans and their families across Colorado, the United States, and around the world – thank you for serving.
By Dr. Bishane Whitmore, President, Community College of Denver
Veterans Day | Wednesday, November 11, 2026
