Veterans invited to share stories at Vets Town Halls, starting Sunday in Montpelier
November 1, 2025 | By Waterbury Roundabout This month in connection with Veterans Day, a number of Vets Town Hall events will be held, starting on Sunday, Nov. 2, at the Vermont State House in Montpelier.
Since 2017, these gatherings have offered numerous U.S. service veterans across Vermont a chance to share their stories with their communities.
Organizer Jon Turner speaks at a Burlington Vets Town Hall event. Photo by Megan Humphrey
Vets Town Hall is a Vermont-based nonprofit that works to increase understanding between veterans and non-veterans. It partners with local organizations around the state to host these events. At each, veterans are invited to attend and speak about their experiences serving in the military and how those experiences have affected them. Non-veterans are encouraged to attend to hear the veterans’ stories.
“It has been said that the first duty or act of love is to listen,” said James Ehlers, a former naval officer and emcee of the Nov. 2 Central Vermont Vets Town Hall. “In Montpelier, in remembrance of Veterans Day, we will have the opportunity to listen to our veteran neighbors as they bravely share with us their stories of what it has been like to answer our country's call to serve,” Ehlers said. “No left. No right. No activists. No patriots. No grandstanding. Just Vermonters. Coming together in an act of love. Please join us.”
Vets Town Halls have taken place in Vermont since 2017, first in Burlington, and later at different locations throughout the state. The concept for the events came from veteran and author Sebastian Junger (“War,” and“Tribe”), who held the first such gathering in Massachusetts in 2015 with U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton. After several were held in Vermont, Junger worked with Bristol resident and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jon Turner, and Vermont event planner Kristen Eaton to form the nonprofit organization, Vets Town Hall. Today, the group offers guidance to individuals and organizations interested in holding similar events around the U.S. and organizes several in Vermont each year.
Vermont veterans speak at past Vets Town Hall events outdoors in Burlington and at St. Michael’s College. Photos by Megan Humphrey
Vets Town Halls are free to attend (although donations are appreciated) and nonpolitical. Sunday’s event begins at 1 p.m. at the State House. Refreshments will be provided.
Organizers encourage all attendees to register in advance, particularly veterans who would like to speak. The goal is to give each veteran up to 10 minutes to speak. If time allows, veterans who did not register ahead of time also may be able to speak at the event. More information is online at vtvetstownhall.org. Details and the registration form for the Montpelier Vets Town Hall can be found here. Send any questions by email to Kristen Eaton at vermont@vetstownhall.org.
The State House event will take place in the House chamber. Sponsors for the program include Lt. Gov. John Rodgers, House Speaker Jill Krowinski, Sen. Philip Baruth as well as the Capitol Police and the Sergeant-at-Arms. Ehlers, a staffer with Rodgers, will serve as emcee.
Montpelier attendees are invited to a noon tour of the State House before the town hall. The tour will be followed by snacks donated by local businesses, including pizza from Positive Pie, baked goods from Skinny Pancake, coffee from Capitol Grounds, cheddar from Cabot Creamery, and more from Hunger Mountain Co-op.
Also in November, additional Vets Town Halls are scheduled in Colchester, Charlotte, St. Johnsbury, Rutland, Bennington and Brattleboro. More details, the schedule and registration pages are online at vtvetstownhall.org.
Vermont Vets Town Halls are supported in part by Vermont Humanities and the Vermont Veterans Fund.