UW-Milwaukee celebrates Veterans Day with an entire week of events every year, courtesy of the Military and Veterans Resource Center (MAVRC).
- Nov. 6: Military and Veterans Ball (Registration Required)
- Nov. 9-11: Veterans Week Display
- Nov. 9: Bowling With the Badge (All Are Welcome!)
- Nov. 10: Sisters In Service (Women Veterans Event)
- Nov. 11: MAVRC Open House (All Are Welcome!)
- Nov. 12: Serving Those Who Served (Brunch for all who served or are currently serving in the U.S. military)
Overall, the university has several resources for military and veterans, including MAVRC, Veterans Success on Campus (VSOC), Military Education Benefits Office (MEBO) and more are listed on UWM’s website.
The UWM Post has collected three stories from veterans in honor of Veterans Day 2026.
Abigail P. – United States Navy
I have many mixed feelings about my time in the U.S. Navy. Sure, I had some of the best experiences of my life there, met lifelong friends, and actually got to explore the world.
Unfortunately, that was one of the few promises made during my recruitment that actually came true. In reality, I was also exposed to one of the most toxic work cultures I’ve ever heard of, was laughed at for having genuine medical issues, and was ultimately brought to the lowest point in my life mentally by the ship.
We used to joke that it takes 5 ships to make a good career, but only one U.S.S. Princeton to break a good man. It’s a particularly stressful job, and only the strongest people can endure that job for an entire career.
The things that kept me going throughout my time there weren’t patriotism or duty, but rather love for all of the brothers and sisters I fought alongside.
The people who, no matter the situation, could always crack a joke, lend a helping hand with some terrible maintenance, or offer a snack from their own dwindling stashes, despite having been out to sea for months already.
There was always an extra controller to play Super Smash Brothers with, a handful more of pirated movies sourced from a dying hard drive, a dark corner to catch a nap in, always some way to get you through the rest of the week, month and deployment.
Those are the moments I remember, not the missions, medals or accolades I earned. The people, the sailors and the veterans are amongst those moments. As this time of year rolls around again, it is those men and women that I drink to. The ones who helped me make it back, the ones who helped me get out, and most important of all, the ones who are still out there, still fixing the radars, still keeping the ship afloat, still fighting the good fight.
I love them, and I pray for their safe return, for sound mind and body, and for what comes after the fight ends. Semper Fortis, love your brothers, and god damn the ships.
Noel V. – United States Navy
In 1987, I left culinary school to join the U.S. Navy as a mess management specialist. I had just gotten promoted to E-3, and I was on the USS Prairie AD-15.
At the time, I had no idea the ship was at dry dock (AKA it was out of the water and standing on large wooden blocks). I had never seen anything like it.
The downside? I had to bring all my gear up 15 flights of stairs just to get to the main deck. It took me 15 minutes to climb those stairs. Though I had such good and bad times on that ship, I definitely enjoyed being there.
Joshua V. – United States Army
From February to March of 2018, my unit participated in vehicle-mounted gunnery training at both Fort McCoy, Wisconsin and Fort Knox, Kentucky. That training consisted of machine guns, like the M240B and M2 Browning .50 caliber, with thermal optics, mounted on top of tactical vehicles, like the HWWMV.
During the training exercise, the vehicle crew consisted of the driver, the truck commander, and the gunner. I was the gunner for my crew. Throughout the training, each crew would run through the range for a period of both day and night fire.
During one of those ranges, I witnessed a vehicle mounted with an M2 Browning .50 caliber shoot a deer as it jumped out from the wood line. Unfortunately, the deer was no more.
However, the training that I did get overall was one of the few times that I genuinely had a blast.