Pamela Baker, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the Vietnam War, has donated over $57,000 to establish a scholarship for disabled veterans at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC). The endowment is intended to support U.S. Armed Forces veterans with disabilities who are pursuing their education at TMCC.
Baker joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve at 17 during the Vietnam War and later served on active duty after graduating from high school. She completed her training at the U.S. Air Force School of Health Care Sciences and was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, where she supported operations in Vietnam and Thailand as part of the Seventh Air Force. Baker received the National Defense Service Medal and an honorable discharge. She later became 100% service-connected disabled due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and exposure to Agent Orange.
A member of several veterans' organizations—including Disabled American Veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America, VFW, the American Legion, and AMVETS—Baker has continued her advocacy for veterans after her military service.
Baker previously taught real estate classes at TMCC. Her scholarship is designed to help disabled veterans transition into new careers as civilians by supporting their educational pursuits in any field they choose.
As Baker explained: "Her scholarship aims to help disabled veterans pursue a new career in the field of their choice, in their civilian lives." She also noted her belief in education's value: "As a lifelong learner herself, with five college degrees under her belt, she is a believer in the value of higher education and the opportunities it can provide to her fellow service members."
For more information about this scholarship or related programs, interested parties are encouraged to contact TMCC’s Foundation and Sponsored Programs Office.