Photo by CLC and BSU Student Jason Sather

1
-
Veterans in the Classroom Serving People Not
Politics
Steve Frantz System Director of Student Life,
Office of the Chancellor Don Pfeffer - Director,
MDVA Higher Education Veterans Programs CPT
Daniel Price MN ARNG Military Liaison to the
Office of the Chancellor Jennifer Parta Arno -
Counselor, Higher Education Veterans Programs
Photo by CLC and BSU Student Jason Sather
2
Training Objective

• To Develop an Understanding of
• HOW To Assist
• Military Members and Their Families
• Return Home

CPT Dan Price
Steve Frantz
Jennifer Parta Arno
Don Pfeffer
3
Why Serve Veterans?

Video - Remember Me
Photo MN National Guard
4
What is REINTEGRATION?
A Comprehensive Program of the State of
Minnesota BEFORE, DURING and AFTER
Deployment To ensure ALL Military Members
Return Home
5
1st Brigade Combat Team 34th Red Bull Infantry
Division (1/34 BCT) Soldiers Home of Record
25 AND UNDER
26- 75
76 AND UP
6
By the Numbers
Minnesota 450,000 Veterans
47,000 Disabled 20,000
Minnesotans deployed 9/01-10/07 9,700 Active
Duty Military 7,000 National Guard Members
(Army and Air) 2,300 Army Reserve Members
700 Air Force Reserve 200
Marine Corp Reserve 50 Naval
Reserve Each person impacts at least 60 other
people DOD Data
7
Stages Faced by Military Members, Their Families
and the Community

• Pre-Deployment
• Getting Orders to Leave
• Separating from Significant Others
• Getting Your Affairs in Order
• Deployment
• From Citizen to Warrior
• Training to Survive
• Using Training to Survive
• Returning Home
• From Warrior to Citizen
• Rebuilding Relationships
• Reentering the World of Work/Education

8
Pre-Deployment Everyone

• All Stages of Grief Apply
• Separation Process is Individual
• Shadow of Injury/Death
• Change in
  Hopes
• and Dreams
• Resolution

Photo MN National Guard
9
From Citizen/Soldier to WarriorPre-Deployment
and Deployment

• Six Months Of Training and Twelve Months of
  Combat - Individuals Move From
• SECURITY INSECURITY
• SAFETY DANGER
• ORDER CHAOS
• LAW LAWLESSNESS
• COMFORT DISCOMFORT
• TRUST MISTRUST
• COOPERATION SURVIVAL
• US ME

10
DeploymentCitizen Soldier

• Insecurity
• Danger
• Chaos
• Lawlessness
• Mistrust
• Survival
• How does it feel?

11
DeploymentFamily

• Re-occurring grief
• Constant fear/concern
• Increased responsibilities
• Anger/Resentment
• Increased difficulties
• Lack of focus
• Change in priorities
• Short Fuse

12
Returning Home

• What
• readjustment
• issues
• might
• these
• individuals
• face?

Photo Sgt. Lynette Hoke, MN National
Guard Public Affairs
13
Returning Home Soldier/Citizen
Warrior to Soldier to Citizen

• 300 Hrs From Combat
• INSECURITY SECURITY
• DANGER SAFETY
• CHAOS ORDER
• LAWLESSNESS LAW
• DISCOMFORT COMFORT
• MISTRUST TRUST
• SURVIVAL COOPERATION
• ME US

Photo Sgt. Lynette Hoke, MN National Guard
Public Affairs
14
Returning Home Family Members

• Control Issues
• Household Management
• Parenting
• Budgeting
• Relationship Issues
• Living with a Stranger
• Inability to Work/Attend College
• How does everyone Fit In
• Self Worth Issues
• Emotional/Physical Health Issues
• Anger issues
• Guilt
• Financial Issues

15
Returning Home
16
Critical ChallengesMilitary Member

• Redefining Myself
• Overcome Alienation from Family and Society
• Move from Simplicity to Complexity
• Replace War with Another High
• Move Beyond War and Find Meaning in Life
• Come to Peace w/Self, Spirituality and Others
• How does this affect attending college?

17
1. Hopes and Dreams
Move from I dont want to go back home to the
same life I had before I deployed. Who am I and
what do I want to do with my life? To Ill be
OK. Ive found a new career path. Working on my
college degree has given me a new dream with new
hope.
18
2. Overcome Alienation from Family and Society
Move from I feel like I dont fit. No one can
really understand unless they were
there. To Im OK. Ive found some friends.
I can use what Ive learned as a leader.
19
3. Move from Simplicity to Complexity
Move from College is chaos. I cant do this.
Life here is too complicated. Too many
choices. To With some help, I can find my way
through this.
20
4. Replace war with Another High
Move from This is boring. I need adventure.
Lets go do something exciting. To Im
excited about my classes, and its a lot less
dangerous.
21
5. Move beyond war and Find meaning in life
Move from After what Ive been through, this is
meaningless drivel. To Ive always wanted to
be in college and now Im here.
22
6. Find peace with self, my spirituality and
others
Move from I dont know what any of this means.
Why me? How can I live with what I
saw/did/didnt do? To I need to move on.
Ive found some forgiveness. Ill never forget -
but I can move on.
23
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• Landing on your campus,
• but not staying

24
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• What have we learned?

25
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• Why Veterans struggle in College?
• Do not feel welcome
• Overwhelmed need to get away
• Too many time conflicts
• Civilians dont understand me
• Lack of transfer credit

26
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• Why Veterans struggle in College?
• Want to be with others who speak my language
• Lack of personal support
• Too much Confusion
• Unfriendly policies and procedures
• Lack of Funds/Benefits slow to arrive

27
Family Member Rebuilding Phase

• When and Why family members struggle in College
  
• DURING ALL PHASES
• Lack of personal support
• Too much things to keep going
• Unfriendly policies and procedures
• Lack of Funds/Benefits slow to arrive
• Overwhelmed
• too much responsibility

28
Family Member Rebuilding Phase

• When and Why family members struggle in College
  
• DURING ALL PHASES
• Not enough time
• Others dont understand
• No time to focus on studies
• Surviving has a higher priority

29
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• 4 Basic Needs
• The need for Safety and Security
• The need for a certain amount of Power Over Our
  Environment
• The Sense of Identity
• Fundamental Need to Belong

30
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• Veterans unique mental health and academic needs.
• In a classroom setting the following are some
  items faculty may observe
• Veterans may sit next to door
• Loud noises can be disturbing to them
• Unusual items may cause anxiety -backpacks,
  crumpled bags, etc.
• Hyper vigilance

31
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• Unique Mental Health Needs
• Veterans may return with
• depression
• anxiety
• readjustment relationship issues
• high risk behaviors - chemical substance abuse,
  etc.
• an increased risk of suicidal tendencies
• stress reactions

Just as you would with any other student, if you
are concerned about an individual it is important
to refer them to campus resources.
32
Talk to the veteran if you notice..

• Isolating behaviors
• Excessive irritability
• Inability to relate to peers develop
  friendships
• Excessive absences
• Withdrawn behaviors
• Depressive behaviors comments
• Hyper vigilance anxiety
• Resentment
• Lack of focus
• Self-esteem self-worth issues

33
Suggestions from a Veteran

• Talk to the veteran. They may or may not be ready
• to talk about their experiences yet, but they
  all have a
• story to tell.
• Being friendly and talking goes a long way toward
  
• gaining trust. Trust is something that veterans
  have a
• hard time giving to people when they return.
• DO NOT be afraid of the veteran. Getting to know
  them
• and being able to identify issues in the early
  stages will
• not only help the but may make the veteran feel
• wanted and welcome.

34
Suggestions from a Veteran

• Each veteran is an individual. They may have
  seen heavy combat or sat in an office.
• DO NOT assume that you know a military persons
  politics or beliefs.
• There are many reasons that people are in the
  military and almost NONE of them are political.
• Politics have no bearing in the military. You do
  what you are told regardless of political
  affiliation.

35
Suggestions from a Veteran

• Veterans are accustomed to being successful,
• they may also be too proud to ask for help
• Let them know you can see they are struggling
• Offer assistance but realize the issues may be
• unrelated to being a veteran
• Open communication and genuine concern for their
• well-being goes back to trust
• Dont be afraid to ask for help. There are
  many resources available.

36
Suggestions from a Veteran

• Faculty should hold the veteran to the same
  standard as the rest of the students. Yes, they
  have been to a combat zone. Yes, some of them
  might have seen heavy combat. The military holds
  them all to a high standard. The staff and
  faculty should too. 
• Veterans know pressure
• Veterans know and expect a challenge
• Veterans will excel and exceed standards

37
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• What can faculty and campuses do to assist
  veterans to succeed?
• Welcoming campus environment
• Space to gather - with others
• with similar experiences
• Accurate and timely information
• in appropriate amounts
• Safe campus environment
• Someone to interpret - when needed

38
Military Member Rebuilding Phase

• What can faculty do to assist veterans to
  succeed?
• Find out if you have a Veterans Resource Center
  on campus and where it is announce this
  resource in class
• Know the Regional Coordinator for your college
  great referral
• Are there any veterans clubs or organizations on
  your campus?
• Find out if there are any Veterans activities
  happening on campus share information attend

39
Family Member Rebuilding Phase

• What campuses can to do to assist family members
  succeed?
• Safe campus environment
• Accurate and timely information
• Understanding about deadlines
• Assistance with setting new priorities/timelines

40
Family Member Rebuilding Phase

• What campuses can to do to assist family members
  succeed?
• A space/time to gather with others with the same
  experiences
• Someone to interpret for them - when needed
• Defer tuition fees
• Some Time Off

41
Campus Family Activities

• Family Activities
• Family Nights
• Equipment/Automotive Repair Days
• Communicating to Iraq
• Family Photos/Open House

MSCTC Fergus Falls
Central Lakes College
42
Veterans Friendly Campuses Laws and Policies

• Higher Education Fairness
• Protections
• Higher Education Veterans Assistance
• Minnesota GI Bill
• Application fee waiver
• Residency policy
• Tuition deferral policy
• Credit for prior learning policy
• ACE Guidelines
• Deployment policy

43
MN Department of Veterans Affairs Higher
Education Veterans Programs

• Mission
• Help colleges assist veterans, military members
  and their families to
• Start College
• Stay in College
• Graduate from College
• Regional CoordinatorsMyMilitaryEducation.org
  

44
MyMilitaryEducation.org
45
Simple Dos and Donts for Faculty

• DO
• Provide support and structure
• Recognize service and sacrifice
• Expect good performance, but remember it takes
  time to readjust
• DO NOT
• Assume the worst
• Label with PTSD (6 to 9 of Combat Vets may get
  PTSD)
• Isolate or make them stand out from their peers
• Make them a spokesperson for war
• or the military

46
Make Your Campus A Safe Landing Place
47
Questions?

• Steve Frantz steve.frantz_at_so.mnscu.edu
• Don Pfeffer dpfeffer_at_clcmn.edu
• CPT Dan Price daniel.price_at_so.mnscu.edu
• Jennifer Parta Arno jennifer.arno_at_minnesota.edu