Bristol Community College welcomes all community members to Veterans Town Halls on Thursday, September 12, at the Bristol New Bedford Campus, 800 Purchase Street, and Thursday, October 24, at the Bristol Taunton Center, 2 Hamilton Street. The events begin at 5 p.m. and all are welcome to attend.

Veterans who served in any capacity are invited to stand and speak for up to ten minutes about what it was like to serve their country. The events are non-political, and there will be no question-and-answer periods. Attendees and non-veterans are encouraged to listen and learn about what it was like to serve this nation. The Master of Ceremonies for the New Bedford Vets Town Hall is Electronics Technician Nuclear Petty Officer 2nd Class (ETN2) Adam Merchant of the USS Toledo (SSN-769).

“We want veterans and non-veterans to share a space and experience together,” said Denny Cosmo, Director, Joseph A. Marshall Veterans Center, Bristol Community College. “Building community and understanding is an essential part of reintegrating into society after military service. This is a great chance to do just that.”

Veterans Town Halls were originated by author Sebastian Junger to increase communication and understanding between veterans and civilians in their communities.

Bristol Community College’s Joseph A. Marshall Veterans Center serves as a single point of contact for all Bristol and Veterans Affairs materials, educational benefit certification, academic counseling, essential resources, opportunities for peer connections and assistance with job preparation and placement services, including veteran-specific job fairs and recruitment activities.

For more information, please visit www.bristolcc.edu/veterans, or email denny.cosmo@bristolcc.edu.