The Office of Veterans & Military Programs (VAMP) at UConn is pleased to recognize Heather Sandler as UConn’s Veteran of the Month. Heather Sandler is a UConn Alumna, Navy Veteran, and keynote speaker at UConn’s Annual Veterans Day Ceremony this year. Heather Sandler, MSW currently is a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She spent 2 years as a Management Analyst and Employment Coordinator. She previously was employed by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal as a Senior Constituent Liaison for Military and Veteran Affairs.
Mrs. Sandler enlisted and served on active duty in the United States Navy from 1995-2005 completing four deployments in ten years — two while on the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72 in support of Operation Southern Watch and two on the USS Harry Truman CVN-75 with Strike Fighter Squadron 37 in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She completed a shore duty rotation to VX-23, Naval Aircraft Test Squadron. During her final deployment on the USS Truman, she served as the night shift Quality Assurance Supervisor. Heather earned three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and three Navy Good Conduct medals during her ten-year enlistment and was honorably discharged in 2005 at the rank of Petty Officer First Class.
While working on the staff of U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Mrs. Sandler provided advocacy and assistance to the Veterans and their families of CT with the Department of Defense, Department of Veteran Affairs, and National Personnel Records Center as well as several other government agencies. She serves as a member of the CT Women’s Veterans Network and served as one of Senator Blumenthal’s academy panelists, interviewing candidates for the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Military Academy at West Point. She is a member of Senator Chrstopher Murphy’s Veteran’s Advisory Council.
Heather was the first co-chair and founder of the CT Veterans Engagement Board with General Dan McHale (ret).
She is a past participant of the Veteran’s History Project and speaks to high school and college students regarding her time in the military and has spoken with Daria Sommers at a viewing of her film “Lioness” at Central Connecticut State University, Women in Film Festival. She speaks about her experiences as a woman serving our country and is a frequent speaker at colleges and universities on this topic.
Mrs. Sandler earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Services/Social Services from Elmira College, Elmira, New York and her Master of Social Work from the University of Connecticut, School of Social Work. This is where she completed work at the CT Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and the CT Commission on Aging. She is a graduate of the Nancy Humpherys Campaign school and a prior presenter on training social workers to participate and run for political office.
Mrs. Sandler is a past participant in the Fisher House Fundraiser—Dancing with the Heros, and a volunteer at South Park Inn’s Veteran’s Drop-in Center. She was appointed to the Board of Trustees at the State Department of Veteran Affairs in 2019 by Governor Ned Lamont and continues to serve on the Board. Mrs. Sandler is in the Class of 2020 CT Veteran’s Hall of Fame.
Mrs. Sandler resides in Glastonbury with her husband Saul Sandler since 2006 and is the proud hockey mom of two boys, 18-year-old Joshua and 14-year-old Max. She is the daughter of United States Air Force Veteran, Paul Belanger, and the granddaughter of a United States Navy Veteran Raymond Belanger.
If you would like to nominate a student, faculty, or staff member for “Veteran of the Month,” please contact Nikki Eberly at with the name of the person and reasons for your nomination.