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11/07/2016 11:00 PMQuinnipiac University has several events honoring veterans planned, including the Friday, Nov. 11 Veterans Day launch of its Center for U.S. Veterans Rehabilitation on Quinnipiac’s North Haven Campus.
“Everything we do is focused on the veterans, from advocacy to providing education and resources to improve lives and more,” said Dr. Robert Krug, who was named director of the center. “We are looking to support what the Veterans Association [VA] is offering.”
Krug noted that throughout the development of the center, staff members, and the board have worked closely with the VA with a goal of complementing what the VA offers.
“In Connecticut, the VA does a very good job, but the need and demand is exceeding what they can offer,” said Krug. “As we’ve been at war for virtually an entire generation, many come back with post-traumatic stress and diagnosed or undiagnosed medical conditions and with our focus on rehabilitation, we feel we’re best equipped to meet their needs.”
Veterans Day 2016 will be the official kickoff for the Center for U.S. Veterans Rehabilitation and several events are planned leading up to the Veterans Day and throughout the weekend.
When War Comes Home by Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker and New London native Michael King, will be shown at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10, in the auditorium in the Center for Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences on the North Haven Campus.
Veterans Day will begin with an 8 a.m. flag-raising in North Haven on Friday, Nov. 11 and a 9 a.m. flag ceremony on the Mount Carmel Campus in Hamden. At 9 a.m. retired U.S. Air Force flight surgeon Dr. Amy Coleman will deliver a lecture called “Making a Difference from Wherever You Are” at the Center for Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences.
At 7 p.m., the Bobcats’ hockey team will host Dartmouth, with Quinnipiac donning camouflage uniforms for the game at the TD Bank Sports Center.
In addition to traditional rehabilitation, which includes both psychological and medical management, the Center for U.S. Veterans, which draws on the resources of Quinnipiac University’s School of Health Sciences, School of Nursing, and the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine Rehabilitation, will offer other rehabilitation programs, as well. The center will offer equestrian therapy, art therapy, integrated medicine services, and several adaptive sports programs.
“Our specialty does serve the veterans in many ways and we’ll really be able to add something to landscape in Connecticut to improve the lives of our veterans,” said Krug. “We’re in a unique situation because we are really able to bring both the academic and clinical together to create something like one-stop shopping for veterans, supporting quality of life and wellness moving forward.”
Krug is especially happy to be able to celebrate the opening of the center on Veterans Day.
“It is a time recognize the great sacrifice and heroism of our veterans,” said Krug. “What better time to reflect on that it’s not all roses and that many come back with scars they’re still dealing with and we all need to be here to support them. That’s what the center is about.”
The Town of North Haven held a ceremony to honor veterans on Nov. 6 in advance of Veterans Day. Town offices and schools will be closed Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day.