VETERANS AND Military Personnel on Campus

1. Counseling Center, UC VETERANS AND Military Personnel on Campus

2. Remember Me • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0 • Suggestion of Steve Frantz, MN

3. Today’s Presentation • Who are veterans and other military? • What have they experienced? • What is the transition process? • What can YOU do to be most effective?

4. Who are they? • Military Veterans • Military Reserve Components 1 weekend/4, 2 weeks/52 • Reserves • National Guard • Inactive Duty • Family members

5. Active Duty demographics • 1.5 million + in military • Primarily 19-30 year old men • enlisted average age 27, 85% male • officer corps average age 34, 84% male • Approx. 50% married • 43% have children (average number, 2) • Up to 52% dual service families • DOD 2004 Report

6. Why are they in school? • $ for college a motivator to join military • Improved GI benefits • Ohio Initiative—will it have an impact?

7. *Our UC Students • Fall quarter 2009 • Veterans = 516 • Guard or Reserve =126 Registrar’s Office, UC

8. *Why UC? • Focus group 2008 • Local, started here, family nearby • Specific academic programs • Credits for military experience, education, and courses • Veterans Advisory Committee report, 2009

9. Military Values • Loyalty • Duty • Respect • Selfless Service • Honor • Integrity • Personal Courage

10. Strengths • Mature • Clear and serious priorities • Confident • Courageous • Cross-cultural knowledge • Determined • Disciplined • Focused

11. Goal directed • Focused, sense of purpose, goal directed • Inner strength • Persevere • Problem solving skills • Responsible • Sense of purpose

12. Nice qualities to have in your classroom??

13. Financial support, maturity, and experience all predict graduation • But veterans have higher attrition • What can we do to help them succeed ?

14. What have vets experienced? • “Stop loss” multiple tours of duty: Serving 1-2 more tours of duty than anticipated—some have 4-5 tours; increased use of Reserves and National Guard 260-280 days/year in conflict WWII 40-60 days

15. “Tough Realities of Combat” • Fear is ubiquitous • Unit members will be injured and killed • Communications will break down • Leadership failures will be perceived • Combat poses moral and ethical challenges • Environment is harsh and demanding* • WRAIR Land Combat Study Team

16. *Harsh environment Extreme heat 24 hour operations Constant movement by ground or air Crowded, uncomfortable living conditions Limited downtime Difficult communications Center for Deployment Psychology, 2009

17. Iraq and Afghanistan • No front line • Highly ambiguous environment • Complex and changing missions combat, peacekeeping, humanitarian Center for Deployment Psychology, 2009

18. Prolonged stress • Improvised explosive devices • Women: sexual assault and harassment • Physical injury with high survival rate…90%+ 6% current conflict vets are amputees Physical and emotional trauma

19. Iraq Combat Experiences • Seen dead bodies, remains 95% • Shot at 93% • Attacked or ambushed 89% • Know someone killed, injured 86% • Fired at enemy 77% • Hoge et al, NEJM 2004, reported in CDP 2009

20. It’s all about… TRANSITION

21. Transition: Military to School • Moving In: why join, getting called up, serving overseas • Moving Through: combat duty, memorable experiences, earning credits • Moving Out: transition program, returning home, academic preparation • DiRamio et. al. NASPA Journal

22. Deployment Affects the Whole Family • Family roles, routines, communications • Loneliness • Finances • Fears • Children’s needs

23. College Themes • Connecting with peers • Blending In • Faculty • Campus vets office • Finances • Students with disabilities • Mental health and PTSD • DiRamio, NASPA Journal

24. Homecoming:A Process Over Time • Military culture to civilian culture • Battlemind to Homemind (Schoolmind) • High school…military…college

25. Battlemind • Focus on mission—nothing else matters • Truly life or death • Constant adrenaline rush • Black or white, all or nothing • Sense of purpose, invincibility • Trust battle buddies only; others = threat • Need to control environment • Real problems and needs exist there • COL Kevin Gerdes Briefing, reported in CDP Training 2009

26. Homemind • Life now unfocused and complex • No longer life and death • What can replace the “high”? • Things are not clear cut • Loss in sense of purpose • Can’t trust anybody • Can’t be in control of surroundings • Problems pale in comparison • COL Kevin Gerdes, 2008, reported in CDP 2009

27. Challenges • Lost camaraderie • Lost institutionalization • Academic deficiencies • Not fitting in—maturity, political climate, feel isolated

28. Family readjustment changed roles and responsibilities spouse/partner may still be overseas balancing school, work, family

29. Finances gap between benefits and expenses unaware of benefits not all classes or programs qualify Even more of an issue for single mothers

30. Reservists • Return to civilian life • Job may be gone • May have reduced income • May lose health care coverage • Loss of unit and military support for family • Lack of observation/ follow up to assess needs • Center for Deployment Psychology, 20009

31. Channeling Strengths Skills for survival in combat must shift, toward • Flexibility • React slower • Relax • Talk • Reduce alcohol • Show emotions • Negotiate • Forge new identity • Combat to Classroom

32. How do vets feel on campus?Focus group 2008 (NASPA) • Like other non-traditional students, but “severely non-traditional” • Transition to freedom of campus environment after years of orders • Annoyed with disorganization

33. Don’t want anything special • Want to be recognized, want faculty to care about them • Don’t want “liberal” faculty poking and prodding; harassment • Want to connect with others, but may not show friendliness

34. Around deployments • College of Arts and Sciences • Military Reserve Component Student Activation Grading Policy • Instructor Awareness Form • “Person of Contact”

35. Health and Disability • Physical injury and survival • Loss of limbs • Traumatic Brain Injury

36. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) • Blow, jolt, or penetrating injury that affects brain function • Mild to severe • Short to long term problems • CDP 2004 reported in CDP 2009

37. TBI Symptoms • Headaches, dizziness, tiredness, ringing in ears, blurred vision or tired eyes, sleep, balance • Sensitivity to sound, light, distractions • Memory, attention, concentration, organizing, decision-making, problem solving; slowed down • Irritability, anxiety, sadness, impulsivity • Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center , 2007; VA Hospital

38. Mental Health • At risk for combat stress reaction and ptsd • Depression, anger, aggression, suicidal thoughts, self-blame, guilt, shame

39. Combat Stress Reaction • Perseverating on combat experiences • Nightmares or trouble sleeping • Angry, tense, jumpy • Feel futility • Trouble trusting • Symptoms last days or weeks, a normal response

40. PTSD • Re-experiencing thru nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts and memories • Avoidance feeling numb, detached, estranged; avoid reminders • On edge trouble relaxing, sleeping, hyper-vigilant, irritable, startle easily • May have delayed onset

41. Recognize possible ptsd, tbi, other difficulties and use existing resources • Consult with Counseling Center • Refer to DSO for accommodations • Classroom management, UJA

42. Campus resources • Vets advisor, Transfer and Lifelong Learning, Registrar’s Office • Counseling Center • Disability Services Office • Learning Assistance Center • University Judicial Affairs • Campus Ministry • Women’s Center • Dean’s Office

43. Counseling Center Web resources • http://www.afterdeployment.org • http://www.dvbic.org • www.militaryonesource.com • http://archive.sesameworkshop.org/tlc/ • http://www.studentveterans.org/resourcelibrary/ • http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/index.asp • https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/content/view/858/1053/

44. Vet2Vet Crisis Hotline1-877-838-2838 Cincinnati VA Hospital—OEF/OIF Clinic primary care mental health services military sexual trauma case management

45. Recommended Reading) The Good Soldiers David Finkel • President Bush announced “the surge” in January 2007. David Finkel accompanied the army infantry soldiers of the 2-16 (the Rangers) for 15 months in Iraq, reporting their story.

46. Final Salute: A Story of Unfinished Lives Jim Sheeler • Sheeler follows the experiences of several military men and their families through the work of Major Steve Beck, a Marine who specializes in helping the bereaved. Based on a Pulitzer prize-winning report.

47. Coppola: A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq Chris Coppola • Dr. Chris Coppola’s had two tours of duty as a US Air Force surgeon in Iraq. Trained as a pediatric surgeon, he treated wounded soldiers (both US and Iraqi) and children, setting aside his personal beliefs about the war.

48. From Soldier to Student: Easing the Transition of Service Members on Campus • American Council on Education, 2009 • http://www.soc.aascu.org/pubfiles/socmisc/Student_Soldier.pdf

49. Sources: • Center for Deployment Psychology workshop materials 2009: • DOD 2004 Report • WRAIR Land Combat Study • Defense and Veterans Brain Injury • Center (Walter Reed Army Medical • Center); www.DVBIC.org

50. Hoges, C.W. et. al. (2004). Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. New England Journal of Medicine, 351: 13-22. • DiRamio, D. et. a. (2008). From combat to campus: Voices of student-veterans. NASPA Journal, 45, pp. 73-102. • Myles, C. (20080. From combat to classroom; transitions of modern warriors. • http://services.exams.wisc.edu