Each year around Veteran s Day, the Veteran s Administration Hospital in Omaha, NE holds a “”stand down”" for homeless veterans. A “”stand down,”" in military terms provides a brief, safe encampment and the opportunity for rest and rehabilitation. On Saturday, November 8, 1998, three CSM nursing faculty members gathered 12 nursing students and showed up at the Omaha Civic Auditorium to staff this effort. CSM faculty and students provided blood pressure and TB screening, checked veterans for foot problems, and gave flu shots. In all, nearly 150 homeless persons, 115 of them veterans, were served.

Through this effort, the students were able to “”put a face on”" homelessness and to see that in small ways, they could offer comfort and support to members of the community who are often forgotten. They also learned about the system of services available to Veterans and to the homeless in general. This is an effort that the College of Saint Mary community has been involved with for the last several years and expects to be involved with each year in the foreseeable future.