Charlotte’s Camo Classic For The Military-Affiliated April 9
By WYATT CROSHER
UNC Charlotte’s annual Camo Classic — a field day of games for military-affiliated students, staff and faculty — is getting a major upgrade from year’s past.
This year’s event, hosted by Charlotte’s Veteran Services Office (VSO) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 in the CHHS/CoEd Plaza, will feature both games and resources from the Charlotte community, including a mobile vet clinic and case workers from the Mecklenburg County Veteran Services. No pre-registration is required for the event.
“This year’s Camo Classic is a revamp of our previous programing for the military-affiliated population at Charlotte,” Chris Brasel, VSO director, said. “Previously, our efforts had been focused on building a sense of community at Charlotte. This year, we are working toward connecting our students to the plethora of military and veteran affairs benefits in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area.”
The Charlotte Vet Clinic features health care providers, psychologists, social workers and more with their mobile clinic, which will be parked near Craver Road across from the Popp Martin Student Union. There, attendees can be seen for help with claims or can be connected with mental and physical services through Veteran Affairs.
Additionally, the Mecklenburg County Veteran Services will have four officers and two case workers on hand at the Camo Classic to assist veterans and families in services and support. Some examples of those services include housing assistance, vocational training and caregiver services.
Veteran Bridge Homes, the go-to veteran service organization in the Charlotte area, will have a table at the event. Veteran Bridge Homes is a strong partner of VSO, and can assist students and their families with job placements and access to community resources. Charlotte’s Niner Finances will also be at the Camo Classic to provide resources to navigate their path to financial success.
“For many veterans, getting access to healthcare, disability claims assistance and other VA related resources can present a significant barrier. Our goal as an institution founded for veterans is to remove as many roadblocks as possible for our military-connected community,” Tyler Thomas, program manager for VSO, said. “By bringing resources on-site and bringing the best advocates for the well-being of our student population, we believe that this event will be a significant benefit to everyone who attends.”
This year’s Camo Classic is a part of Charlotte’s Niner Nation Gives, a 49-hour fundraising event that raised more than $3 million in 2023. Donations at the Camo Classic totalling up to $5,000 will be matched by Professor Emerita Linda Swayne. All donations at the event will go toward veterans programs.
Food at the event will be handled by the Blasian Asian Food Truck, which has free pre-paid meal tickets for military-affiliated students connected with the VSO in attendance. Reign Total Body Fuel will also give out free energy drinks to all attendees. As for games, the Camo Classic will feature tug of war, cornhole and a football to play catch.
For more information about campus veteran resources, visit Veterans Services.