Veterans In Transition

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Veterans In Transition

• Moving from Serving our Country
• to Student Veteran

Thirty-Eighth National Assembly of the American
Association of University Administrators Arlington
, Virginia - November 5-7, 2009
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Panel Members

• Dr. Randy Plunkett National Director of
  Military Affairs, DeVry University (moderator)
• Mr. Derek Blumke President, Student Veterans of
  America (Senior, University of Michigan)
• Dr. John Schupp Director, Supportive Education
  for the Returning Veteran (SERV), Cleveland State
  University
• Ms. Michelle Wild - Co-Department Chair ,
  Coastline Community College Acquired Brain Injury
  Program

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Conceptual Framework for Understanding Student
Veterans

• Military Experience
• 1. Why Join?
• 2. Getting Called Up
• 3. Combat and Other
• Memorable Events
• 4. Earning Credits

• Health
• 1. Students with Disabilities
• 2. Anger and Resentment
• 3. PTSD

College Life 1. Connecting with Peers 2.
Blending In 3. Opinions/Reactions 4. Faculty
Support 5. ROTC

• Transition
• 1. Exiting Active Duty
• 2. Returning Home
• 3. Local Campus Veterans Office
• 4. Academic Preparation

• Finance
• 1. Personal Finances
• 2. Delayed Benefits
• Payments
• 3. Multiple Sources

From the research of David DiRamio (Auburn U),
Robert Ackerman (U Nevada, Las Vegas), and Regina
Mitchell (Central Michigan U). From Combat to
Campus Voices of Student-Veterans, NASPA
Journal, 2008, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp 73-102.Used
with permission. SPECIAL THANKS TO DR. KATHY
SNEAD , SERVICEMEMBERS OPPORTUNTY COLLEGE
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• "The willingness with which our young people are
  likely to serve in any war, no matter how
  justified, shall be directly proportional to how
  they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were
  treated and appreciated by their nation.
• George Washington

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Student Veterans of America

• Yesterdays Warriors, Todays Scholars,
  Tomorrows Leaders
• 27 January 2009
• CCME, Waikiki, HI

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Derek Blumke -- Background

• Born and raised in Petoskey, MI 28 years old
• Technical Sergeant, U.S. Air Force
• Multiple overseas deployments since 9/11 (Afghan
  Theater)
• AC-130H Spectre Gunship maintenance supervisor
  6 years active duty 16th Special Operations
  Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL
• Separated from service in 2005 for college

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Derek Blumke -- Background

• Past 3 years 110th Fighter Wing, Michigan Air
  National Guard Photographer/Public Affairs
• Started community college Fall 2005
• Transferred to The University of Michigan
  Winter 2007
• Double Major Psychology/Political Science
• Working with University of Michigan Depression
  Center on program for outreach and treatment of
  veterans for Welcome Back Veterans initiative
• Building proposal to cut suicide rates among all
  returning veterans

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The Challenge for Veterans on Campus

• Applying while separating from the service
• Adjustment to campus environment
• Inflexible / bureaucratic administrative
  structures at many universities
• Greatest influx of combat veterans in last 40
  years will continue to increase in coming years
• Relations with general student population
• Desire for cohesive interaction with true peers
• A first step Student Veterans Association at
  UMICH, formed in Fall 2007

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Student Veterans of AmericaRapid growth from
standing start

• Networking / organizing. LGOPs on Facebook
• Inaugural conference (Chicago), January 2008
• More than 25 groups represented
• Spring 2008 Rapid growth in membership,
  visibility / profile, efforts to shape public
  policy
• Successfully advocated for passage / adoption of
  21st Century GI Bill (S.22)
• All-hands conference (Washington), June 2008
• More than 50 groups represented

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Student Veterans of AmericaFuture Growth and
Opportunities

• Preserve our independence and unique role
• Expand our mission and capabilities
• Greater outreach to returning / separating
  veterans
• More resources for veterans on campus (mental
  health, peer-to-peer counseling, academic
  assistance) ? Ranger Buddy on campus
• Maintain a non-partisan public profile!
• Professionalize the organization
• Sustain a large, nationwide volunteer
  organization
• Create a small cadre of full-time employees
  (coordination, continuity of operational effort,
  stability)

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Resources for You

• Campus kit for veterans
• Military to college guide for student veterans
• Regional and National Conferences
• -Midwest Regional Conference February 27 and 28
  at Cantigny in Wheaton, IL
• -National Conference April 17-19 San Francisco,
  CA

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Collaborative Opportunities What you need to do

• Go to Website and select resources
• Organize vets on campus by setting up a meeting
  via email from registrars vet list
• Inform VOLED students about SVA when they are
  transitioning to civilian life.
• Approach dean of students and university
  leadership.
• BECOME AN ADVOCATE. REACH OUT TO OTHER CAMPUSES!!!

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Questions?
www.studentveterans.org
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• Supportive Education for the Returning Veteran
• Helping the Best, Brightest and Bravest get their
  degree
• By John Schupp
• SERV Director, Cleveland State University

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What is ?-learning community

• Campus Challenges
• First Day on Campus
• No uniforms, whos the CO?
• Registration
• Admission requirements
• Financial
• The Paperwork
• Transition
• Vets have more experience
• Hard to relate to freshmen

• solutions
• Personal Walk thru
• Meet the univ. depts.
• Registration
• No appl. Fee, individual review
• Financial
• Revised payment plan
• Transition
• Create a vet friendly env.
• Understand the transition process

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Why a type program is needed

• 1985-1994 GI Bill eligible Vets (study completed
  in 2006)
• 52,000 of 641,000 eligible veterans
  (8) used all of GI Bill
• 2008 GI Bill data
• Less than 6 use it completely
• Average less than 17 months used of
  36 months eligible

http//chronicle.com Section Students Volume
51, Issue 36, Page A31 Keith Wilson, VA
Education Secretary, ACE Summit Georgetown
University Jun 6 2008
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Degree obstacles, Veteran vs civilian

• Veteran
• Economic
• Tuition Covered by GI Bill
• Transition
• Military to civilian
• War Zone to Campus
• Freshmen Age Difference
• 24yr old vet vs 18yr old
• Career Goals
• Vets more Mature
• Less likely to change majors

• Civilian
• Economic
• Tuition Costs
• Part-time job
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• Parents
• Transition
• High School to Univ.
• Little Difference
• Career Goals Change
• 18yr olds change majors

Bernadette Gray-Little, Dean College of A S,
UNC, May 2006 http//www.unc.edu/depts/trustees/
Time20to20Degree.pdf
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Number 1 reason low GI Success rate

• Ability to concentrate when taking exams
• Environment (classroom) distractions very high
• Concentration on questions very low
• Exam scores are low-Grades drop-Vet drops out
• How to improve concentration on exams
• Minimize environmental distractions
• Remove civilians from the environment
• Guardian mode drops-Vets feel more comfortable
• Memory/recall improves-Scores/Confidence Improves

6 months of discussions with Vietnam-Persian Gulf
veterans Jan-June 2007- Cleveland VA Stress
Recovery Ctr, Ken Prabucki, Holly Hirsel,
counselors/directors
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the Experiment

• Create Vets only Gen Ed Sections as an option
• English 101, Math 101, Science 101
• Support for vets, not isolation
• 12 credit hrs (full time benefits) vets only
  1st semester
• 9 credit hrs, vets only classes 2nd semester
• Need to take 3 more credit hrs in civilian
  classes for full time
• Track progress of Vets in the classes
• Can watch/teach them as a group-
• Confidence improves-Transition to civilian life
  improves
• Civilian transition occurs slowly
• While they are taking college credit classes

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- Experiment Results

• Fall 2008-4 classes
• 4 Classes-25 students total
• English, Math (both remedial), Biology, Intro to
  College Life
• Retention Rates-C or better
• Biology-14/16 students, 87.5
• English 10/12- 83.3
• Math 9/10- 90.0
• College Life-11/12- 91.7
• 23/25 going on to Spring 09

• Spring 2008
• 4 classes-14 students
• History, Chemistry, Biology Math (remedial)
• Retention Rate
• 14 started out
• 10 finished with Cs or better
• Ten went on to Summer 08
• 71 vet retention
• 72 for civilian in Ohio

Fall 2008- 92.0 Retention Rate
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Spring 2009

• 36 vets in 4 Classes
• English 101-
• 18 students total,
• 8 new vets tested into ENG 101
• Intro to Psychology
• 18 students total
• Intro to Chemistry/lab-
• 25 students total

• Total vets/campus
• 78 vets assisted by
• Dont need the classes offered
• 43 other vets helped with
• Admission/Application
• Transcripts
• Financial Aid
• Course Advising
• All have said same thing
• Could not have processed through without
  assistance

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CSUs other successes

• State Of Ohio-2008
• 100,000 for SERV
• ACE/ Wal-Mart Award- Nov 11 2008
• News Announcements
• CSU Receives 100,000 from Wal-Mart Foundation
  for its Veterans Education Assistance Program
• On this Veterans Day 2008, CSU has special reason
  to celebrate as the recipient of a 100,000 gift
  from the Wal-Mart Foundation to support programs
  that provide educational assistance to veterans.

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• Database of deployed
• vets by county since
• 9/11 /01 out of the country
• Ohio- 53,450
• Active Duty
• 36,344
• Guard/Reserve
• 17,106

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Federal Funding for

• Higher Ed Bill 2008-Section T-Passed July 31st
  2008
• PART TCENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR VETERAN
  STUDENT SUCCESS
• SEC. 873. MODEL PROGRAMS FOR CENTERS OF
  EXCELLENCE FOR VETERAN STUDENT SUCCESS.
• (a) PURPOSE.It is the purpose of this section
  to encourage model programs to support veteran
  student success in postsecondary education by
  coordinating services to address the academic,
  financial, physical, and social needs of veteran
  students.
• (b) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.H. R. 4137352
• (1) IN GENERAL.Subject to the availability of
  appropriations under subsection (f), the
  Secretary shall award grants to institutions of
  higher education to develop model programs to
  support veteran student success in postsecondary
  education. (2) GRANT PERIOD.A grant awarded
  under this section shall be awarded for a period
  of three years. (c) USE OF GRANTS. (1)
  REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.An institution of higher
  education receiving a grant under this section
  shall use such grant to carry out a model program
  that includes (A) establishing a Center of
  Excellence for Veteran Student Success on the
  campus of the institution to provide a single
  point of contact to coordinate comprehensive
  support services for veteran students (B)
  establishing a veteran student support team,
  including representatives from the offices of the
  institution responsible for admissions,
  registration, financial aid, veterans benefits,
  academic advising, student health, personal or
  mental health counseling, career advising,
  disabilities services, and any other office of
  the institution that provides support to veteran
  students on campus (C) providing a coordinator
  whose primary responsibility is to coordinate the
  model program carried out under this section
  (D) monitoring the rates of veteran student
  enrollment, persistence, and completion and
  (E) developing a plan to sustain the Center of
  Excellence for Veteran Student Success after the
  grant period.

As of Jan 2009, plan is to get it funded as a
Stand Alone Bill in the Senate
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Univs considering for Fall 2009

• Ohio
• Ohio University, Hocking College, University of
  Toledo, Youngstown State, Univ of Dayton, Akron
  Univ, Stark State College, Cuyahoga Community
  College
• Pennsylvania
• Robert Morris, Thiel College, Pitt
• Kentucky
• University of Louisville, Eastern Kentucky,
  Northern Kentucky
• Michigan
• Delta University
• Arizona
• University of Arizona, Arizona State, Northern
  Arizona, Maricopa CC
• Univ of New Mexico
• University of South Florida
• Middle Tennessee State
• University of Montana
• 23 total Colleges/Universities

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VA Medical Centers Supporting SERV

• Ohio
• Chillicothe, Cincinnatti, Cleveland, Dayton
• Pennsylvania
• Pittsburgh(2 ea), Butler County
• Arizona
• Tucson, Phoenix
• Southwest Texas
• Louisville
• 11 total VA Medical Systems
• Veterans Affairs-Washington DC

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Why it will work-Power thru Unity

• The success of the Greatest Generation
• 2.2M veterans enrolled in 1,800 Colleges/Univs
• Average of 1,222/campus
• 1.6M Nationwide University enrollment in 1939
  2.9M in 1949
• Univeristy of Michigan-
• 1940- 10,000 students 1948- 30,000 enrolled
• Syracuse University
• 1941- 6,000 students 1947- 19,000 students
• In 1949 45 of all College Students were Veterans
• They had that camaraderie right away
• Their Success was a group success

Dr Jennifer Adams, Penn State Univ. ASHE meeting
Sacramento Nov 18 2000
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With Their Military Experience and Their Degree
from Americas Colleges and Universities

• WE can make this generation
• The Next Great Generation

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Coastlines Acquired Brain Injury Program Making
Cognitive Connections for Brain Injury Survivors

• Michelle Wild, M.S.
• Coastline Community College

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What are the long-term consequences of TBI?

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  estimates that at least 5.3 million Americans
  currently have a long-term or lifelong need for
  help to perform activities of daily living as a
  result of a TBI.
• According to one study, about 40 of those
  hospitalized with a TBI had at least one unmet
  need for services one year after their injury.
  The most frequent unmet needs were
• Improving memory and problem solving
• Managing stress and emotional upsets
• Controlling one's temper and
• Improving one's job skills.

Reference Brain Injury Association of America
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Invisible Wounds (RAND 2008)

• Approximately 18.5 percent of U.S. service
  members who have returned from Afghanistan and
  Iraq currently have post-traumatic stress
  disorder or depression and 19.5 percent report
  experiencing a traumatic brain injury during
  deployment.
• Roughly half of those who need treatment for
  these conditions seek it, but only slightly more
  than half who receive treatment get minimally
  adequate care.
• Improving access to high-quality care (i.e.,
  treatment supported by scientific evidence) can
  be cost-effective and improve recovery rates.

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Online Cognitive Caregivers Boot Camps

• Cognitive Boot Camp educational program
  designed to provide structured cognitive
  retraining for brain injury survivors
• Caregivers Boot Camp provides caregivers and
  significant others with information, support,
  resources, and strategies for coping with changes
  experienced after a family member sustains a
  brain injury
• Courses
• Strategies for Using PDAs
• Cognitive Strategy Building
• A Guide to Brain Injury
• Community Re-Integration

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Contact

• Michelle Wild
• mwild_at_coastline.edu
• michelle_at_pda4memory.com

• http//abi.coastline.edu
• http// pda4memory.com
• [phone]

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• We should do everything we can to support our
  service members returning from Iraq and
  Afghanistan and help them transition successfully
  to civilian life. For many, that will mean going
  back to school and we owe it to our veterans to
  give them the support they need to succeed.
• Senator Hillary Clinton

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• THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR MILITARY,
  VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES!
• QUESTIONS???