Transcript VETERANS AND Military Personnel

Counseling Center, UC
Remember Me
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaM
Pt4Ha0
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Suggestion of Steve Frantz, MN
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?
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Who are they?
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Military Veterans
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Military Reserve Components
1 weekend/4,
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2 weeks/52
Reserves
National Guard
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Inactive Duty
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Family members
Active Duty demographics
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1.5 million + in military
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Primarily 19-30 year old men
enlisted average age 27, 85% male
officer corps average age 34, 84% male
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Approx. 50% married
43% have children (average number, 2)
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Up to 52% dual service families
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DOD 2004 Report
Why are they in school?
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$ for college a motivator to join military
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Improved GI benefits
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Ohio Initiative—will it have an impact?
*Our UC Students
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Fall quarter 2009
 Veterans
= 516
 Guard or Reserve =126
Registrar’s Office, UC
*Why UC?

Focus group 2008
Local, started here, family nearby
 Specific academic programs
 Credits for military experience,
education, and courses
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Veterans Advisory Committee report, 2009
Military Values
Loyalty
 Duty
 Respect
 Selfless Service
 Honor
 Integrity
 Personal Courage
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Strengths
 Mature
Clear and serious priorities
 Confident
 Courageous
 Cross-cultural knowledge
 Determined
 Disciplined
 Focused
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Goal directed
 Focused, sense of purpose, goal
directed
 Inner strength
 Persevere
 Problem solving skills
 Responsible
 Sense of purpose
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Nice qualities to have
in your classroom??
 Financial
support, maturity, and
experience all predict graduation
 But
veterans have higher attrition
 What
can we do to help them
succeed ?
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
“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*
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WRAIR Land Combat Study Team
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*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
Iraq and Afghanistan
No front line
 Highly ambiguous environment
 Complex and changing missions
combat, peacekeeping, humanitarian

Center for Deployment Psychology, 2009
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
Iraq Combat Experiences
Seen dead bodies, remains 95%
 Shot at
93%
 Attacked or ambushed
89%
 Know someone killed, injured 86%
 Fired at enemy
77%
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Hoge et al, NEJM 2004, reported in CDP 2009
It’s all about…
TRANSITION
Transition: Military to School

Moving In: why join, getting called up,
serving overseas
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Moving Through: combat duty,
memorable experiences, earning credits
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Moving Out: transition program,
returning home, academic preparation
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DiRamio et. al. NASPA Journal
Deployment Affects the Whole
Family
Family roles, routines, communications
 Loneliness
 Finances
 Fears
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Children’s needs
College Themes
Connecting with peers
 Blending In
 Faculty
 Campus vets office
 Finances
 Students with disabilities
 Mental health and PTSD
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DiRamio, NASPA Journal
Homecoming:
A Process Over Time
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Military culture to civilian culture
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Battlemind to Homemind (Schoolmind)
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High school…military…college
Battlemind
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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
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COL Kevin Gerdes Briefing, reported in CDP Training 2009
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Homemind
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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
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COL Kevin Gerdes, 2008, reported in CDP 2009
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Challenges
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Lost camaraderie
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Lost institutionalization
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Academic deficiencies
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Not fitting in—maturity, political climate,
feel isolated
 Family
readjustment
changed roles and responsibilities
spouse/partner may still be
overseas
balancing school, work, family

Finances
gap between benefits and expenses
unaware of benefits
not all classes or programs qualify
Even more of an issue for single mothers
Reservists
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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
Channeling Strengths
Skills for survival in combat must shift,
toward
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Flexibility
React slower
Relax
Talk
Reduce alcohol
Show emotions
Negotiate
Forge new identity
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Combat to Classroom
How do vets feel on campus?
Focus group 2008 (NASPA)
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Like other non-traditional students, but
“severely non-traditional”
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Transition to freedom of campus
environment after years of orders
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Annoyed with disorganization
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Don’t want anything special
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Want to be recognized, want faculty to care
about them
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Don’t want “liberal” faculty poking and
prodding; harassment

Want to connect with others, but may not
show friendliness
Around deployments
College of Arts and Sciences
 Military Reserve Component Student
Activation Grading Policy
 Instructor Awareness Form
 “Person of Contact”
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Health and Disability
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Physical injury and survival
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Loss of limbs
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Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Blow, jolt, or penetrating injury that
affects brain function
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Mild to severe
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Short to long term problems
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CDP 2004 reported in CDP 2009
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
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Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center , 2007; VA Hospital
Mental Health
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At risk for combat stress reaction
and ptsd
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Depression, anger, aggression, suicidal
thoughts, self-blame, guilt, shame
Combat Stress Reaction
Perseverating on combat experiences
 Nightmares or trouble sleeping
 Angry, tense, jumpy
 Feel futility
 Trouble trusting
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Symptoms last days or weeks, a normal response
PTSD
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Re-experiencing thru nightmares, flashbacks,
intrusive thoughts and memories
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Avoidance feeling numb, detached,
estranged; avoid reminders
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On edge trouble relaxing, sleeping, hypervigilant, irritable, startle easily
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May have delayed onset
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Recognize possible ptsd, tbi, other
difficulties and use existing resources
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Consult with Counseling Center
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Refer to DSO for accommodations
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Classroom management, UJA
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

Counseling Center
Web resources
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http://www.afterdeployment.org
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http://www.dvbic.org
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www.militaryonesource.com
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http://archive.sesameworkshop.org/tlc/
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http://www.studentveterans.org/resourcelibrary/
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http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/index.asp
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https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/content/view/858/
1053/
Vet2Vet Crisis Hotline
1-877-838-2838
Cincinnati VA Hospital—OEF/OIF Clinic
primary care
mental health services
military sexual trauma
case management
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.
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 prizewinning report.
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.
 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
Sources:
Center for Deployment Psychology
workshop materials 2009:
 DOD 2004 Report
 WRAIR Land Combat Study
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Defense and Veterans Brain Injury
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Center (Walter Reed Army Medical

Center); www.DVBIC.org


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

Counseling Center

Confidential counseling for UC students – individual
and group

Free walk-in urgent care services during business
hours

Consultation with faculty, staff, family, and friends
concerned about a student

Workshops and presentations – stress management,
communication, relationships and balancing demands,
and other life-enhancing topics
316 Dyer Hall
(513) 556-0648
www.uc.edu/cc