Q: I’m not a veteran. May I attend?
Yes! All community members are welcome. Only veterans will speak, but non-veterans are encouraged to attend, to listen, and to learn.
Q: I’m a veteran and am interested in speaking. Could you tell me more about the event?
At a Vets Town Hall, veterans of any era who have served in any capacity have the right to stand before their community and speak for up to ten minutes.
Tell us what your service means to you. All perspectives are valued. We’re here to listen to whatever you want to say to your community, and to learn about what it was like to serve in the wars that this nation has chosen to fight.
Please tell us about your own experiences, whatever they may be, rather than speaking broadly about an issue or organization. You’re a member of our community, and it’s your stories, reflections, and insights that we’re anxious to hear.
If you’re a veteran who would like to register to speak, you can find event details at vtvetstownhall.org. Registration is optional, but helps organizers plan. If you’re considering speaking but prefer not to register, we encourage you to attend. After pre-registered speakers go, the host will take speakers from the floor, time permitting. The goal is for every veteran who would like to speak to have a chance to do so.
Of course, veterans (and all community members) are also welcome to simply attend and listen.
Here are some starting points (but don’t feel limited by this list):
During your military service, what surprised you most about yourself?
Why did you join?
What was your hardest day?
What do you miss?
Tell us about some of the items, both practical and personal, that you carried with you while on deployment.
How did you stay in touch with family and friends back home?
How does your time in the military affect your daily life today?
When did you leave the military? What was that process like?
What or who has helped you in the transition from military to civilian life? What has been challenging or surprising about that transition?
What questions do you wish civilians would ask when they learn that you’re a vet?
Q: I’ve spoken at a previous event. May I speak again this year?
Yes, veterans are welcome to speak again.
Q: What are the guidelines for attendees?
Listening without judgment or interruption is one of the most powerful and supportive acts a person can offer, and that is what is expected of veterans and non-veterans alike. You may hear something you disagree with, you may have a question, or you may want to say encouraging words with the intention to help. However, we ask that you refrain from commenting in any way during the event. If veterans wish to continue a conversation with you afterward, that is entirely up to them. But the point of this event is simply to give veterans a chance to speak, and to bring the community closer around them.
It’s okay to leave the auditorium and come back. This isn’t a performance; it’s a public gathering, and the aim is that it be respectful but relaxed.
There may be an optional question-and-answer period at the end of the event. We ask that attendees only ask questions of the speakers who choose to participate in this Q&A, and only ask questions during the Q&A.
Q: Are children welcome?
Your children are welcome to attend with you, but when deciding whether or not to bring them, please be aware that speakers will address serious topics and that this is not a rehearsed event.
Q: Are tables available for organizations?
There won’t be any tabling at the event, in order to make sure the focus is clearly on the speakers and the experiences being shared. Of course, it’s important to share information about resources as well, so (at indoor events, at least) there will be a table with literature from various organizations. Please don’t hesitate to bring some fliers for this table. Representatives from Veterans Service Organizations are also welcome to bring business cards and share those; there’s generally some socializing before/after the event. If your organization has representatives who are veterans, they are welcome to speak – but we ask that they speak as individuals, not on behalf of the organization.
Q: How can I learn more about the Vets Town Hall initiative and how to start one in my hometown?
The first national Vets Town Hall website is vetstownhall.org.
Q: Who organizes/sponsors these events?
These events first and foremost exist because of the communities where they take place. They would not happen without the veterans who have spoken at each event and the veteran and non-veteran attendees who have shown up to listen. Additionally, many individuals and organizations have offered advice, feedback, and support. Among those individuals are the event hosts: John Tracy, Jon Turner, Kyle Aines, and Marty McMahon.
Many of Vermont’s Vets Town Halls have been organized by local event planner Kristen Eaton. Kristen also works on some of the communications that make sense to manage on a statewide level, like this website. Kristen worked on the 2017-2019 Burlington-area events on a volunteer basis. The Vermont Veterans Fund has kindly provided funding for 2021. (You can find out how to donate to the Vermont Veterans Fund here.)
Here are the Vets Town Halls that have been held in Vermont:
- November 2017 at Contois Auditorium, Burlington. Hosted by John Tracy. Coordinated by Kristen Eaton. Venue sponsored by the Mayor’s Office.
- November 2018 at Contois Auditorium, Burlington. Hosted by Jon Turner. Coordinated by KE. Venue sponsored by the Mayor’s Office. Marketing support from CCV.
- November 2018 in Rutland. Hosted and coordinated by Kyle Aines and Community College of Vermont.
- November 2019 at McCarthy Arts Center, SMC, Colchester. Hosted by Jon Turner. Coordinated by KE. Venue sponsored by St. Michael’s College Military Community Services and Student Veteran Association. Marketing support from CCV
- November 2019 in Rutland. Hosted and coordinated by Kyle Aines and CCV
- November 2019 at Catamount Arts in St. Johnsbury. Hosted and coordinated by Marty McMahon and CCV
- June 27, 2021 at Camp Meade in Middlesex. Hosted by Jon Turner. Coordinated by KE. Venue sponsored by Camp Meade. Marketing support from CCV.
- July 18, 2021 at Prouty Beach in Newport. Hosted by Marty McMahon. Coordinated by KE. Venue sponsored by CCV. Marketing support from CCV. Support and assistance from Newport VFW Post 798.
- August 8, 2021 at the Godnick Center in Rutland. Hosted and coordinated by Kyle Aines and CCV.
- September 19, 2021 at Ethan Allen Homestead in Burlington. Hosted by Jon Turner. Coordinated by KE. Venue sponsored by Ethan Allen Homestead. Marketing Support from CCV.
- October 9, 2022 at the Godnick Center in Rutland. Hosted and coordinated by Kyle Aines with support from Vets Town Hall.
- October 16, 2022 at NVU-Lyndon. Hosted and coordinated by Marty McMahon with support from Vets Town Hall. Venue sponsored by NVU SVA.
- November 6, 2022 at McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College. Emceed by Jon Turner. Coordinated by Vets Town Hall. Venue sponsored by St. Michael’s College Military Community Services and Student Veteran Association.
- March 11, 2023 at South Burlington Public Library. Emceed by Nic Thornbro. Coordinated by the library and by Vermont Veterans Outreach Program.
- Family Vets Town Hall – April 2, 2023 at McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College. Emceed by Jon Turner. Coordinated by Vets Town Hall. Venue sponsored by St. Michael’s College Military Community Services and Student Veteran Association.
Thank you to the Vermont Veterans Outreach Program for attending and being available to provide peer support at all events, and to Burlington Lakeside Clinic peer support specialists for doing the same at many of the Burlington-area events.
Q: How can I contact the organizer?
Please email Kristen at vermont@vetstownhall.org with any questions.