Counseling Center, UC

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaM
Pt4Ha0
 Suggestion of Steve Frantz, MN

 Who are veterans and other military?
 What have they experienced?
 What is the transition process?
 What can YOU do to be most effective?

 Military Veterans
 Military Reserve Components
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
1 weekend/4, 2 weeks/52
Reserves
National Guard
 Inactive Duty
 Family members

 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
DOD 2004 Report

 $ for college a motivator to join military
 Improved GI benefits
 Ohio Initiative —will it have an impact?

 Fall quarter 2009
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
Registrar’s Office, UC

 Focus group 2008
 Local, started here, family nearby
 Specific academic programs
 Credits for military experience, education, and courses
 Veterans Advisory Committee report, 2009

 L oyalty
 D uty
 R espect
 S elfless Service
 H onor
 I ntegrity
 P ersonal Courage

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 Clear and serious priorities
 Confident
 Courageous
 Cross-cultural knowledge
 Determined
 Disciplined
 Focused

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

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


“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

 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

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

 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

 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

 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

 Family roles, routines, communications
 Loneliness
 Finances
 Fears

Children’s needs

 Connecting with peers
 Blending In
 Faculty
 Campus vets office
 Finances
 Students with disabilities
 Mental health and PTSD
 DiRamio, NASPA Journal

 Military culture to civilian culture
 Battlemind to Homemind (Schoolmind)

High school…military…college

 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

 Life now unfocused and complex
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No longer life and death
What can replace the “high”?
 Things are not clear cut
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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

 Lost camaraderie
 Lost institutionalization
 Academic deficiencies
 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

 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

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
 Combat to Classroom

 Like other non-traditional students, but
“severely non-traditional”
 Transition to freedom of campus environment after years of orders
 Annoyed with disorganization


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

 College of Arts and Sciences
 Military Reserve Component Student
Activation Grading Policy
 Instructor Awareness Form

“Person of Contact”

 Physical injury and survival
 Loss of limbs
 Traumatic Brain Injury

 Blow, jolt, or penetrating injury that affects brain function
 Mild to severe
 Short to long term problems
 CDP 2004 reported in CDP 2009

 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

 At risk for combat stress reaction and ptsd
 Depression, anger, aggression, suicidal thoughts, self-blame, guilt, shame

 Perseverating on combat experiences
 Nightmares or trouble sleeping
 Angry, tense, jumpy
 Feel futility
 Trouble trusting
 Symptoms last days or weeks, a normal response

 Re-experiencing thru nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts and memories
 Avoidance feeling numb, detached, estranged; avoid reminders
 On edge trouble relaxing, sleeping, hypervigilant, irritable, startle easily
 May have delayed onset

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

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

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/

Cincinnati VA Hospital —OEF/OIF Clinic primary care mental health services military sexual trauma case management

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.


 American Council on Education,
2009
 http://www.soc.aascu.org/pubfiles
/socmisc/Student_Soldier.pdf

 Center for Deployment Psychology workshop materials 2009:
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DOD 2004 Report
WRAIR Land Combat Study
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Defense and Veterans Brain Injury
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

 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