GW Law's National Security, Cybersecurity, & Foreign Relations Law Program, with the Veteran Law Students Association (VLSA), held its annual Veterans Welcome Back Reception and were pleased to host several distinguished guests. These guests included Colonel (Ret.), U.S. Air Force, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA), Kenneth Arnold, and GW Law’s Steven L. Schooner, a retired Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps Reserve Officer and the Jeffrey & Martha Kohn Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Nash and Cibinic Professor of Government Procurement Law.
This reception offered the GW Law community, including veteran, active duty, reserve, national guard, and prospective JAG students, staff, faculty, and friends of veterans the opportunity to meet, network, and enjoy an afternoon of camaraderie. VLSA, Military Law Society, and National Security Law Association students made especially strong showings.
Vice Chairman Arnold and Dean Schooner gave heartfelt remarks that communicated what “service after service” meant to them. Senior Associate Dean Schooner highlighted GW Law’s deep connection to the military and the role this connection has played in building a robust government and national security law program. He also spoke of his and his father’s military service and expressed his gratitude for the service represented in GW Law’s veteran community.
Vice Chairman Arnold currently serves as the BVA’s Chief Operating Officer and oversees more than 135 Veterans Law Judges, 950 staff attorneys, and 200 professional support staff dedicated to resolving veteran appeals. Prior to joining the BVA, Vice Chairman Arnold served at the Department of Justice for three years. Vice Chairman Arnold is also a retired US Air Force Judge Advocate who enlisted at age 17 and served over 30 years on active duty. Drawing from his unique experiences, over 30 years in the Air Force, and his father’s own military service, Vice Chairman Arnold offered the students, faculty, and staff inspiring words of gratitude and encouragement. He particularly emphasized the importance of living a life of service after military service by treating others with respect and dignity.
In addition to the distinguished guest remarks, reception attendees of all ranks, services, law school statuses, and ages enjoyed refreshments and mingled. Reception attendees were grateful to share the afternoon with Vice Chairman Arnold and Dean Schooner and look forward to future opportunities to forge community in and out of the military at GW Law.
