Veterans Day: A Conversation With Nicolette Shegstad

As Veterans Day approaches, MCD recognizes and thanks the people who have served in the U.S. military. Veterans are part of every community, including Minnesota’s disability community. Their experiences, perspectives, and contributions help shape the places where we live and work.

To mark Veterans Day, Legislative Affairs Director Jillian Nelson spoke with Administrative Operations Coordinator Nicolette Shegstad about her military service, what she wishes more people understood about veterans, and the connections she sees between the veteran and disability communities.

Jillian: Tell us a little about your service and why you chose to join the armed forces.

Nicolette: In 1993, my twin sister and I joined the Air Force. We grew up in a military community in Virginia, and we also had a couple of great-uncles who served in the Army. We were looking for career opportunities and decided to enlist in the Air Force. I went on to spend more than 22 years serving our country.

For the first 19 years of my career, I served as a Security Police Officer. When I initially entered the service, the career field was divided into two specialties: law enforcement and security. I entered as a law enforcement specialist. About seven years into my enlistment, those two career fields merged to become what is now known as Security Forces.

During peacetime, my mission included providing law enforcement support, securing military aircraft and classified areas, and controlling access to the installation. Our wartime mission was air base defense. My training included everything from firearms and hand grenades to landmine placement, as well as protecting the perimeter and interior of an installation.

Throughout my career, I had opportunities to do many unique things and travel to different states and countries. In fact, my first airplane ride was when I left Virginia to travel to San Antonio for Basic Military Training!

Eventually, I realized I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life working in law enforcement and wanted to develop a different skill set. I retrained and spent the final four years of my career as the Base Education and Training Manager. I retired from the Air Force in December 2015.

Jillian: Veterans Day is right around the corner. What makes it an important day in our country?

Nicolette: I think it’s important to recognize the sacrifices people make when they choose to serve in the military. I have family and friends who raised their right hands, took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and made a commitment to serve our country. I also know people who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

I think Veterans Day is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the contributions, sacrifices, and commitment of all those who have served our country. It’s important that we don’t take that service for granted.

Jillian: What would you like more people to understand about the veteran experience?

Nicolette: I wish more people understood how unique the veteran experience is. There’s a good chance we’ve experienced or witnessed things that someone following a more traditional path through college or the civilian workforce may never encounter. There’s an entire side of military service that people simply don’t see or understand.

Sometimes, we can’t talk about the things we’ve done or experienced, which can make it difficult for others to fully understand the sacrifices we’ve made. Some veterans return with PTSD or other invisible disabilities, while others have visible disabilities. Regardless of what those changes look like, we are not necessarily the same people we were when we raised our right hands and took that oath.

Military service changes you, and I wish more people understood that.

Jillian: The disability community often talks about how anyone can become part of the community at any time, including veterans. How can we be more welcoming and inclusive of veterans in our spaces and in the work we do?

Nicolette: I think the veteran community and the disability community are more alike than they are different. Both communities sometimes face discrimination or are judged based on assumptions and stereotypes rather than being seen as individuals.

For example, when it comes to hiring and the workforce, there can be assumptions that all veterans have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other challenges associated with military service. While some veterans do experience those things, it’s important not to make assumptions about someone’s abilities or experiences simply because they’re a veteran.

Military service also teaches valuable skills, including discipline, adaptability, teamwork, and a commitment to serving others. Those are qualities that veterans bring into their communities and workplaces.

I think the best way to be welcoming and inclusive is to recognize veterans as individuals, understand that our experiences are different, and create spaces where people feel comfortable sharing their experiences without being defined by them. Ultimately, we have more in common than we might realize.

Jillian: How would you like to see veterans honored on Veterans Day?

Nicolette: Well, having a day off is a good start! But honestly, I think recognizing veterans should be something we do every day, not just on November 11. Sometimes it’s as simple as being in a store wearing an Air Force sweatshirt, having someone ask about your service, and hearing them say, “Thank you for your service.”

I think it’s also important to recognize veterans from previous generations who didn’t always receive that same appreciation or welcome home. We should remember our World War II veterans, women whose service was often overlooked or underrecognized, including those in the Army Nurse Corps, and others whose contributions may have been left out of the historical narrative.

Ultimately, I would like to see us consistently recognize the sacrifices, contributions, and service of all veterans, including those who may have been overlooked or forgotten. They deserve to be remembered and appreciated, not just on Veterans Day, but every day.

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