Meeting the Needs of UA Military Vets

Meeting the Needs of UA Military Vets

Wells Fargo Sponsors Pair of Shuttles for VMA

By David Miller

Each week, University of Alabama undergraduate Javin Dodd interacts with nearly a dozen student military veterans who have a disability.

UA ROTC cadets and Big Al pose for a picture with a pair of shuttle carts for UA military vets sponsored by Wells Fargo.

Dodd, an Army veteran pursuing his second bachelor’s degree, works part time at UA’s Office for Veteran and Military Affairs. Dodd, who was previously deployed to Afghanistan, has a disability and experiences foot pain.

Dodd said getting around campus can be challenging, from setting up and operating the VMA’s football tailgates to student orientation at Bama Bound.

Now, these student military veterans’ mobility needs have been met. The University of Alabama is expanding its services to help military members with a disability to fully access its campus with the launch of two specialized shuttle carts sponsored by Wells Fargo.

The carts will provide free transportation from housing to academic buildings, student services, recreational facilities and medical centers. The shuttles were unveiled recently on the UA campus.

“It means a lot to have people who care about helping veterans,” Dodd said. “We’re all very excited. To park somewhere, use a shuttle and not worry about getting to where you need to go on campus is huge for us. It’ll be a great asset for Bama Bound and Get on Board Day; we had about 200 vets come through for Bama Bound last summer.”

Textron Specialized Vehicles provided the custom cart conversions. The first vehicle will be wheelchair accessible and the second vehicle will be a four-passenger shuttle designed to transport multiple veterans and their guests at one time. UA’s VMA office will operate the shuttles.

“The launch of this program is so exciting, because it provides those who have sacrificed their mobility during their service to our country with reliable, accessible transportation throughout the campus,” said David Blair, director of Veteran and Military Affairs at UA. “The Tuscaloosa campus is quite large, and it can be challenging to get from building to building on a tight class schedule when you have some mobility issues. The new shuttle will help ease our military members’ transportation needs and allows us to support their positive, rewarding academic experience.”

The VMA office is a one-stop shop for military-affiliated students. Personnel assist students with G.I. Bill certification and VA disability benefits, and the VMA provides other services like textbook rentals and study and leisure space at its location in Houser Hall.

UA, once again recognized as one of Military Times’ “Best for Vets,” has nearly 3,400 students with varying ties to the U.S. military, including 642 veterans, 455 active service members and 2,285 dependents.

UA has graduated more than 200 military-affiliated students each spring and fall semester since 2017.

“We are honored to help The University of Alabama’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs support students who have served their country,” said Phil Smith, executive vice president and head of Government and Institutional Banking for Wells Fargo. “The office plays a critical role in helping all military members transition to academic life and on to rewarding careers, including disabled veterans injured during their service. We hope the shuttles will deliver a much-needed solution to Alabama’s campus transportation needs.”