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Thomas C. Motl , Ph.D. WACRAO - 11/8/13

The Way Home: Challenges facing Student Veterans . Thomas C. Motl , Ph.D. WACRAO - 11/8/13. Making a Promise. GI Bill (1944 Servicemen’s Readjustment Act) The Post 9/11 GI Bill (2008) By 2011, $7.7B had been spent In return for service, Veterans are promised an education.

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Thomas C. Motl , Ph.D. WACRAO - 11/8/13

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  1. The Way Home: Challenges facing Student Veterans Thomas C. Motl, Ph.D. WACRAO - 11/8/13

  2. Making a Promise • GI Bill (1944 Servicemen’s Readjustment Act) • The Post 9/11 GI Bill (2008) • By 2011, $7.7B had been spent • In return for service, Veterans are promised an education. • Over-represented in the Armed Services: • Minorities • Lower Socio-economic status (i.e., poverty) • First and Second Generation Americans U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2013).

  3. The U.S. Armed Forces NAVY ARMY MARINES COAST GUARD AIR FORCE 21Million Veterans (1.8 Million under the age of 35) 2.4 Million Active Duty or Reservists U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2013).

  4. Student Veterans: by the Numbers • The Post 9/11 GI Bill • Student Veterans (2013): 660,0001 • Entire UW-System: 180,000 students • Average 4-year public University: • 700+ Active duty or Veteran students2 1U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2013). 2American Council on Education (2012).

  5. Student Veterans: Non-traditional • Student Veteran Demographics: • 85% are older than 24 • 47% have children • 27% are female1 • Student Veterans are more likely to: • Be a first-generation college student • Be of minority status • Be first- or second-generation immigrant2 • Be of low Socio-Economic Status3 1Radford & Wun (2009). 2U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2011). 3Seeborg (1997).

  6. Challenges for the Student Veteran • Transition • Psychological problems • Physical Problems

  7. Transitions Civilian (Teenager) Military Structure Team Practicality Service ? Civilian (Veteran) Military

  8. Transitional Challenges • Lack of structure • Less accountability, routine • Individualistic culture • Instruction and Assessment methods • Familiarity with the learning process • Esoteric or abstract concepts • Learning to learn (study skills)

  9. Psychological Challenges • Invisible Disabilities • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (30%) • Depression • Traumatic Brain Injury (20%)

  10. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Re-Experiencing - Thoughts - Memories - Dreams - Flashbacks Avoiding Reminders - Over-Working - Substance Abuse - Loud Noises/Crowds - Triggers P T S D • Poor Mood • Guilt & Self-Blame • Disengaged from Activities • Detached from Others • Few Positive Emotions Easily Agitated - Jumpy & On-edge - Often Angered - Hypervigilant & Alert - Poor Concentration - Inadequate Sleep American Psychiatric Association (2013).

  11. Student Veterans on Campus • Psychological Problems reported by Student Veterans • 46% experience significant symptoms of PTSD • 35% considered the anxiety “severe” • 24% experience “severe depression” • Suicide • 46% report suicidal ideation • 20% have a plan to kill themselves • 11% think about suicide “often” or “very often” • 8% have made a suicide attempt • 4% think it “likely” or “very likely” they will kill themselves Rudd, Goulding, & Bryan (2011).

  12. Military Sexual Trauma (MST) • 25% of Women Veterans report MST • 1% of Male Veterans report MST • Less than 1 in 5 assaults are reported1 • More than half of individuals who suffer rape develop PTSD. 2 2American Psychiatric Association (2013). 1Department of Defense (2012).

  13. Physical Injury & Challenge Combat or Training Injuries

  14. Physical Injury & Challenge Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) • 1 in 5 combat Veterans • Symptoms (can vary): • Slowed processing speed • Difficulty remembering • Problems concentrating • Problems with organization • Failure to integrate/generalize information • PTSD-like emotional problems • Headache, light sensitivity, blurred vision American Psychiatric Association (2013).

  15. Student Veterans • Demographically Diverse • Historically underserved populations • Undergoing a stressful transition from military • Greater than 40% suffer from a diagnosable “invisible” disability • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder & Traumatic Brain Injury Tanielian (2008).

  16. Student Veterans • Impact on Student Veterans • Decreased sense of belonging • Lower GPA • Graduation rates below their non-veteran counterparts Durdella & Kim (2012).

  17. Built for Success • Commitment: Top-down initiatives to recruit & retain • Administration devotes resources to student Veterans • Explicitly and overtly prioritizes • Target Veterans during the recruitment process • Resources for Institutions • American Council on Education: Toolkit for Veteran Friendly Institutions • Department of Veterans Affairs: VA Campus Toolkit

  18. Built for Success • Commit: Top-down initiatives to recruit and retain • Consolidate: Create a single point of contact • Veterans Office or Liaison • Coordinate with area VAs and local services • Veterans Integrating into Academic Leadership (VITAL) Program • The Vet Center • Understands the Post-9/11 GI Bill and associated benefits • Most commonly cited stressor among student Veterans was Financial Aid. Cook & Kim (2009).

  19. Built for Success • Commit: Top-down initiatives to recruit and retain • Consolidate: Create a single point of contact • Clarify: Have a defined policy regarding Veterans • Policies likely to affect Veterans should be considered carefully and be easily accessible (via website) • Can Student Veterans attain credit for in-service training? • What if the student is re-deployed or must attend exercises? • Are there tuition deferments if Financial Aid is delayed?

  20. Built for Success • Commit: Top-down initiatives to recruit and retain • Consolidate: Create a single point of contact • Clarify: Have a defined policy regarding Veterans • Consult: Educate and train staff in Veteran issues • University Counseling Center is equipped for PTSD, MST & military culture • Disability Services has a policy for PTSD/TBI accommodations • Tutoring Services are accessible and trained for TBI

  21. Built for Success • Commit: Top-down initiatives to recruit and retain • Consolidate: Create a single point of contact • Clarify: Have a defined policy regarding Veterans • Consult: Educate and train staff in Veteran issues • Connect: Create opportunities for Veterans to interact • Establish and promote Student Veteran Organizations, such as the Student Veterans of America • Create a space just for Veterans • Encourage student Veterans to take leadership roles

  22. Built for Success • Commit: Top-down initiatives to recruit and retain • Consolidate: Create a single point of contact • Clarify: Have a defined policy regarding Veterans • Consult: Educate and train staff in Veteran issues • Connect: Create opportunities for Veterans to interact • Care: Get faculty and staff personally involved • Explicit messages on syllabi can reinforce the message • Increase staff awareness and streamline referral processes • Make time for personal contact

  23. Fulfilling the Promise

  24. Resources • American Counsel on Education • http://www.acenet.edu/higher-education/Pages/Military-Students-and-Veterans.aspx • Department of Veterans Affairs • VA Campus Toolkit: http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/StudentVeteran/ • GI Bill: http://www.gibill.va.gov/ • Student Veterans of America • http://www.studentveterans.org/ • National Center for PTSD: • http://www.ptsd.va.gov/ Contact: Thomas C. Motl, Ph.D. tmotl@uwsp.edu

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