VETERANS: A GLOBAL VISION
Course GEN – 2354
Room F-221
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30 am – 9:45am
Professor
Tom O’Donnell, Assistant Dean of Students
Office CC-243
Email: Tom.Odonnell@stockton.edu
Phone: Office -609-652-4676 Cell-609-661-2460
Course Summary
As Veterans and Service Members emerge from the battlefields to classrooms, they are a vision of
reality that can only be defined through their experiences. This course will provide a vehicle for our
students to learn and share from these experiences and also enable students to research and compare
experiences from other eras.
This course will also create “hands-on” experiences for students to explore their own leadership
potentials in order to become more effective, self-aware, and knowledgeable about world events.
Various leadership models and skills development will be presented and students will be able to link
theory with practical applications. Students will be expected to participate through direct involvement
with campus and/or community leadership experiences.
Course Objectives
Upon Successful conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Discuss and explain what leadership means.
Evaluate leadership theories and their applicability to a particular situation.
Analyze leadership styles and capability in others.
Determine personal skill levels, strengths, and areas for self-improvement as a leader.
Have a better understanding of global conflict and its outcomes.
Develop writing and research skills to be successful in chosen vocation.
Work more successfully as a team member.
Have a real understanding of what it is like to be a soldier in conflict.
Understand the challenges of Service Members returning from conflict.
Understand the Armed Forces as a social institution and its impact on a veteran’s identity,
behavior, beliefs, relationships, environment, education and vocation.
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Tentative Course Timetable
Week 1
January 18
Setting the Tone – Overview of course - Class Introductions.
January 20
Speaker – Donna Clementoni – N.J. E.S.G.R. “The Simple Truth
of Service”
January 23
Stockton Veteran Program…History/Accomplishments – Video
Power Point.
January 25
Presentation: Bob Ford, Senior Vice Commander, Absecon
VFW Post 9462
January 27
Special Presentation – Warrior Champions
January 30
Video Presentation: From Soldier to Civilian “The Wounded
Platoon.”
February 1
Introduction to Team Projects: Teams will be developed
consisting of a veteran and you will focus on material that is
presented in our text book THE NEW FACE OF WAR. Team
presentations will be made to the class on dates listed.
February 3
Research - Library
February 6
Video Presentation – Cover Me
February 8
Guest Speaker: Chris Dimeo
February 10
Research – Team Meetings - Library
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Assignment 1: Current Conflicts
February 13
No Class – At Veterans Conference in Orlando
February 15
Leadership Video Presentation – Struggles in the 60’s.
February 17
Based on the first discussions in class and on personal
experiences, how do you see the role of the U.S. in current
Global Conflicts? Read Text Chapters 4 and 5.
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Week 6
February 20
No class: RESEARCH
February 22
Video Presentation – Restrepo
February 24
Read Chapters 7-11 – The Next War – Video Presentation
Week 7
Assignment 2 – Leader Analysis
February 27
Now that you have a general concept of leadership, including
what leadership is do you think that we have enough leaders
in society and a place of leadership in history?
Choose person who is related to the military. Do you consider
this person to be a an effective leader? Why do you consider
this person a leader? As you answer that question, integrate
the readings to support your conclusions. This paper should
be about 3-4 pages in length.
February 29
FISH PRESENTATION
March 2
Research - Library
March 5
Speaker: CMSGT. Michael Francis, NJ Air National Guard
March 7
Video Presentation – To Be Announced
March 9
Research - Library
March 12-16
Spring Break
March 19
Chapters 15-18 – Where do we go from here?
March 21
Speaker: Robert Frolow, Atlantic County Director of Veteran
Affairs
March 23
Research - Library
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
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Week 11
Assignment #3 – From Boots to Classroom
March 26
What are the most difficult obstacles that service men and
women face as they enter the education arena from the
battlefield?
March 28
Leadership Video Presentation
March 30
Research - Library
April 2
Speaker: To Be Announced
April 4
No class - Preceptorial day
April 6
Research - Library
April 9
Video Presentation: America Remembers
April 11
Group 1 Presentation
April 13
Research – No Class
April 16
Group 2 Presentation
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Assignment #4 – What Leadership Means to Me
April 18
Now that you have read about, heard about, and participated
in a veteran experience, write a two page paper about what
leadership in the military means to you.
April 20
Group 3 Presentation
April 23
Group 4 Presentation
April 25
Class Overview
Week 15
Course Text:
Berkowitz, Bruce – THE NEW FACE OF WAR 2010
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Assigned Readings
Barack Obama -The Audacity of Hope, 2006 New York
Ralph Nader – The Good Fight, 2007
Richard Alpert (Buda Ram Dass) - Be Here Now, 1971
J. William Pfeiffer –“Interpersonal Communications,” Selected Reading
Series Nine, Behavioral Science and the Manager’s Role, 1969
Admiral William Owens – Lifting the Fog of War
Chris Kyle, American Sniper, 2010
Sally Drumm - MILSPEAK: Warriors, Veterans, Family and Friends
Writing the Military Experience, 2009.
Dr. Leo Buscaglia – Living, Loving and Learning, Charles Slack, Inc.,
1982
Larry Minear, Through Veterans Eyes, 2010
Ken Blanchard, Leadership and the One Minute Manager, 1985
Hersey and Blanchard – The Situational Leadership
Arthur Constantino and Andrew Mozenter – Leadership Guide
Robert Blake – Group Development
Robert Spender – Who Moved My Cheese, 2000
Stephen C. Lunden, Fish! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve
Results, 2000
The New York Times
The ARGO
Assignments
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Four Assignment Papers
Individual Team Projects
Reaction Papers to Class Speakers
Class Participation/Attendance
Attending Assigned Events
All assignments will be due during the indicated week
on the second meeting date, unless otherwise
indicated. All papers must be typed, double spaced,
with one-inch margins. Papers can be submitted
through email. Grading will include both content and
grammar.
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Grading/Assessment
Four Assignment Papers (10pts Each)
40 Points
Team Projects
40 Points
Reaction Papers
10 Points
Class Participation/Attendance
10 Points
Total Points
100 Points
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