What does it mean to serve alongside people of every race, gender, creed, religion, place of origin? How does military service take people from different backgrounds and create an effective unit? Unknown to many, the United States Military is the most diverse employer in the US. It has constantly led the way in expanding its meaning of servicemember and pushed racial, gender and sexual orientation boundaries decades before the civilian workplace.

Military Service is, in itself, a distinct identity and one that veterans and active military members must weigh against their own multiple self and society selected ones.

Kali Lake, Program Manager, Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE), will talk about how they see veteran status as a DEI identity from their own experiences and working with students.