Forging a new tradition: Aaron Kempster aims to uplift veteran community with SVA Tournament
Aaron Kempster, a senior social work major and Marine Corps veteran, wants to leave a legacy at Charlotte. Inspired by the challenges he faced as a Marine, Kempster — vice president of the Student Veterans of America Charlotte chapter — is committed to bringing together the veteran community with a new event: the SVA Tournament.
The SVA Tournament, set to take place Saturday, April 18, 2026 at the 49th Acre, will gather veterans, friends and family for a day of fun competition, food and community engagement. The event will feature field games — ultimate frisbee, tug-of-war and dodgeball — music and more. The SVA is crowdfunding to raise money to enable veterans and guests to enjoy a free lunch alongside the festivities.
“Let’s remove as many barriers as possible to engagement,” Kempster said. “I don’t care if somebody is a veteran themself, the child of a veteran or the spouse of a veteran. If you’re military affiliated, we want you involved, and we want you to feel a sense of community.”
In addition to being a fun day for Charlotte veterans — who are 622 Niners strong as of fall 2025 — Kempster will invite a dozen SVA chapters from universities across the state, including Appalachian State, NC State, UNC Chapel Hill and ECU. He says the ambitious scope of this event was inspired by a trip to Colorado Springs for SVA’s national conference, where he learned about the expansive community of the SVA chapters in California.
“In California, the SVAs are strong; the universities have a huge veteran community that’s very engaged,” Kempster said. “The SVA Tournament helps answer the question, ‘How can we get that engagement and bring it to North Carolina?’”
Building on a Strong Foundation
The SVA Tournament will enrich Military and Veterans Services’ signature spring event, the Camo Classic, a three-day celebration that centers on campus and community resources for Charlotte veterans. Last year, the event featured on-site VA claims assistance and a veterans vs. ROTC tug-of-war competition. The SVA Tournament will serve as the culmination of the Camo Classic, doubling down on competition and camaraderie without detracting from the resource fair.
“The idea of a tournament is to try to attract competition with other schools, but I also want people to bring their kids, have a burger or throw a football around the 49th Acre,” Kempster said.
By inviting other North Carolina SVA chapters Kempster hopes to create an environment where veteran students feel a greater sense of community. Within that community, Kempster says, connections can be made, ideas can be shared and friendships can form for military-affiliated students, faculty, staff and families.
“Having other SVAs come to Charlotte will build relationships between our office and the offices of other schools,” Kempster said. “And in some ways, it establishes UNC Charlotte as a leader in veteran engagement for students across the state.”
A Marine’s Journey to Charlotte and Social Work
Kempster joined the Marine Corps at 18 and served two noncombat deployments at Camp Pendleton, California, working with combat engineers. The work was physically and mentally demanding, and although it led him to where he is today, it left some scars.
Kempster battled depression and suicidal thoughts throughout his time in the military and saw his fellow Marines struggling as well — even when they didn’t have the words for it. When he became a noncommissioned officer, he took special care of his junior Marines, helping them navigate aspects of the unit and mental health challenges. Looking back, Kempster likens this role to a social work case manager, although he acknowledges his lack of experience at that point in his life.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Kempster traveled for a year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Even removed from the military, he had his challenges.
“After COVID, I realized that I wanted to go into the helping profession and serve others because when people are in a tough spot mentally, social workers can help save lives,” Kempster said.
Kempster started at Central Piedmont Community College to test how he would do in school and quickly learned that he wanted to advance his education to the level of a master’s degree. He switched to an Associate of Arts in social work track, earned 60 credits and joined Charlotte as a junior in the upper division of social work.
At Charlotte, Kempster threw himself into his studies and the SVA, jumping into leadership roles and helping coordinate the Camo Classic in his first year on campus. Putting on the inaugural SVA Tournament — whether it be a one-off event for Charlotte’s veteran community or the start of a statewide SVA tradition — will be a tremendous point of pride for the veteran and aspiring social worker. He believes it will have something for everyone.
“On a very, very basic level, it’s a chance to have a fun day full of activities,” Kempster said. “On a larger scale, it’s creating a more connected veteran community for students, alumni and the Charlotte area.”