IS YOUR COLLEGE CAMPUS MILITARY FRIENDLY ?Assisting the Returning Combat Veteran Transition To Higher Education

Presenters

LaMar Chapman, MA.EDCoordinator Veterans ServicesChandler-Gilbert Community College

Dawn Vucetich, MSW, LCSW

Arizona State University

Director, Student Support & Transition Services

Chandler-Gilbert Community College Brenna Peck

BA, PsychologyArizona State UniversityDisability Resources and Services, SpecialistChandler-Gilbert Community College

Scott Silberman, Ph.DStudent Services Faculty LiaisonStudent Support & Transition ServicesChandler Gilbert Community College

Overview

The post 9/ 11 GI Bill is the most generous veteran educational since World War II. 

Veteran students have unique needs and life experiences that must be addressed if colleges are to successfully educate veterans.

A military-friendly institution must establish and monitor specific policies and programs for veterans.

Arizona’s Veterans’ Population More than 2 million troops have been

deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11th 2001

More than 30, 000 from Arizona have served

An estimated 33 thousand veterans are currently using Post 9/ 11 GI Bill Benefits in Arizona

Source: ArmedZilla Foundation’s Preliminary Report to Arizona

Department of Veterans Services, August 2010

MCCD Veterans Populations

Source: Maricopa Community College District, Tempe Arizona, 2010

Why Veterans Need Our Help?

“Having a Veterans Services Office dedicated to helping student veterans make the transition to college and achieve their educational goals is a great way to support those who have served their country.”

CGCC Veteran Student

Veterans have earned the right to a higher education

Veterans face a number of challenges on college campuses

Veterans have unique characteristics and needs that require colleges to implement specific policies and programs.

Historically, veterans have been at the forefront of civil rights issues

Strengths Veterans Bring to Campus Environment

“We do more before 9 am than most people do all day .”

U.S. Army

Highly Motivated Goal Orientated Disciplined Leadership Skills Team building skills – “Unit

Mentality” Military Training Real Life Experience Education is Federally Funded

Impact of the War

Iraq & Afghanistan War is different from previous conflicts

Increased risk of injury and multiple deployments

Mental & Physical Trauma Amputations and burn injuries TBI & PTSD Alcohol and substance abuse, suicide

Source: Multiple Tours Linked to PTSD, (April 2010). Associated Press. Retrieved from http://www.military.com/news/article/multiple-tours-linked-to-ptsd.html

Impact of the War Cont.

Nearly 40% of all OEF/ OIF Veterans may be disabled

Many veterans on a college campuses have no prior experience with a disability

ADA & U.S. Department of Veterans definition of a disabled person

Source: Grossman, P. (2009) Leading our Campuses Away from the Perfect

Storm Journal of Post Secondary Education & Disability, Vol 22, 4-9

Challenges Presented to Schools

Post secondary institutions have limited experience with servicing needs associated with “wounded warriors”

Eliminate “Silo” mentality of student services to assist veterans

Campus resources allocated to veterans programs

How to Make Maricopa Colleges Veteran-Friendly? College commitment to supporting

veterans A designated Veterans Office or school

official to assist veteran students Disability Office policy on servicing

veterans Faculty & staff training programs Student veteran orientation programs Courses designed to assist veterans

transition

How to Make Maricopa Colleges Veteran-Friendly? (Cont.) Veterans Student Center Veterans Student Organization Peer to Peer veterans mentorship

programs Campus Veterans workgroup or task

force Asses your campus’s readiness to assist

veterans Track Veterans success

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/07/26/watson.afghan.ied.cnn?iref=videosearch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crdPbMcqAK4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElDnwOoUamc&feature=related