Student Affairs Division
Veteran-Student
Awareness Training
WHO ARE THESE VETERAN
STUDENTS?
What Distinguishes this Student Group?
• Over 2 million troops (15% female) have been deployed to
OEF/OIF (1 out of 7)
• Multiple deployments are common
• As of 10/11/10, 5,725 have died and almost 42,497 wounded.
120 deaths of females and 600 wounded females.
• Most frequent physical injuries include TBI, traumatic
amputations and injuries that require amputation, burns and
blindness
• The psychological impact of war has also led to increased rates
of suicide and other mental health concerns
• High incidence of military sexual trauma
• In war, there are no
unwounded soldiers.
-Jose Narosky
• Veterans coming home from a conflict can expect
to have a broad range of psychological reactions
to what they have experienced while they were
away.
• It is likely that many will make the adjustment to
returning home well and their initial difficulties
will subside with time. However, for many others
their experiences abroad will continue to haunt
them.
• “I learned early that war forms its own culture. The rush of
battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug,
one I ingested for many years…
War exposes the capacity for evil that lurks not far below the
surface within all of us.
And that is why, for many, war is so hard to discuss once it is
over.”
-Chris Hedges, Veteran War Correspondent
War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning
• What has the government done to facilitate the
veteran’s transition back to the civilian world?
Preparing For Battle
• Battlemind Training - prepares the soldier
with the psychological tools he/she will
need to survive in combat
Battlemind
BATTLEMIND is the Soldier’s inner strength to
face fear and adversity in combat with
courage. Key components include:
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Self-confidence
Take calculated risks
Handle challenges
Mental Toughness
Overcome obstacles or setbacks
Maintain positive thoughts during times of adversity and
challenge
Transitioning Home Utilizing The
Battlemind Concept
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Buddies (Cohesion) vs. Withdrawal
Accountability vs. Controlling
Targeted Aggression vs. Inappropriate Aggression
Tactical Awareness vs. Hyper vigilance
Lethally Armed vs. “Locked and Loaded” at Home
Emotional Control vs. Anger/Detachment
Mission Operational Security vs. Secretiveness
Individual Responsibility vs. Guilt
Non-defensive (Combat) Driving vs. Aggressive Driving
Discipline and Ordering vs. Conflict
Challenges for Student-Veterans
• Half of Us: Video: Voices of Vets
• Older students may have difficulty integrating into a
campus composed primarily of traditionally-aged
students
• Military educational benefits do not provide enough
resources to attend college full-time
• Academic preparation for college may have been
deficient
• Poor readjustment to civilian life
• Lack of structure in a university environment
Student-Veterans vs. Traditional Students
• Level of maturity
• Exposed to different cultures
• Responsibility/leadership experiences of a
higher degree
Engagement vs. Anonymity
• Some student-veterans have desire to
connect with other student veterans
• Some student-veterans prefer to “blend in”
primarily due to a perceived lack of
sensitivity to their experiences and opinions
• http://www.halfofus.com/video/?videoID
=76&chapterID=1
• What can we, as individuals, do or not do
to ease the transition of the Student
Veteran back into the civilian world and
into campus life?
Welcoming Student-Veterans To Campus
• Welcome them home
• Express your appreciation of their service
• Offer to help with their transition to (or back
to) campus
• Support with patience and listening
• Understand that the transition home is a
process and can take time
Good Ways To Start A Conversation
• What was your job and where did you go while in
the military?
• How are you and your family doing?
• Ask open-ended, general questions about their
military service
• Listen non-judgmentally
Topics To Avoid When Speaking With A
Veteran
• Pressuring a veteran regarding specifics about
their service they choose not to share with you
• Minimizing the challenges a veteran might face
• Making assumptions about any veteran’s political
or foreign policy views
• Singling out a veteran without prior approval (let
them choose who they tell about their distinction
as a student veteran)
Inappropriate Questions
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Did you kill anyone?
Did you see anyone die?
Are you glad that you’re back?
Do you have to go back?
Did you see any action?
Was it hot? Did you see any camels?
Do you think we are winning over there? Is it all
worth it?
Opportunities for Engagement
A comprehensive and holistic system for assisting
veterans
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Identification of each Student –veteran
Orientation for incoming Veterans and dependents
Mentorship or Transition coach
Academic advising
Education for staff and faculty
Procedures for making referrals
Needs assessments and outcome studies
What Has UNCW Done To Make
Our Campus Attractive To
Veterans?