What's Next for Student Veterans? by
With the passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2008, more than 1.4 million service members and their families became eligible for higher education benefits, and veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan enrolled in colleges and universities in record numbers. The first wave of research about these new student veterans focused primarily on describing their characteristics and the transition from military service to civilian life and the college campus. This new edited collection presents findings from the second wave of research about student veterans, with a focus on data-driven evidence of academic success factors, including persistence, retention, degree completion, and employment after college. An invaluable resource for educators poised to enter the next phase of supporting military-connected college students.
Down Range by
Military veterans prepare for the next mission in their careers Written by veterans who have successfully made the transition, Down Range offers career planning guidance to U.S. military veterans coming off active duty. This is NOT simply a guide to transitioning from the military to the civilian world. This is NOT a guide to getting a job. This book IS a guide to developing a post-military career, not just for the first few days, weeks, or months after active duty, but for the rest of your employed life. This simple and effective planning process has been taught to more than 1 million business executives in companies all over the world. Explains how to build an adaptable long-range career plan called a Career High Definition Destination (HDD), across a spectrum of seven key areas Shows how business differs from military service, how to identify the resources needed to achieve the Career HDD, and how to develop strategic and tactical courses of action that drive you to executing towards your Career HDD on a consistent basis Author James Murphy is founder of Afterburner Inc. and is currently working with the U.S. Army at the highest levels to develop a transition program for the estimated 1.5 million veterans who will transition from active duty service to civilian careers by the year 2020 This book challenges veterans to change their mind-set and understand just how different the "wilderness" of civilian employment is from military experience. Down Range provides an appreciation for what's important to a business, helping you to become a valuable asset throughout your career.
Mission Transition by
Change is a given in the United States military, but the soon to be applied "Blended Retirement System" is a financial change like no other the military has ever experienced. It is a huge deal that will not only affect the wallets of many active duty service members today and certainly 100% of them beginning in 2018, but it could also have a significant impact on future recruiting and retention of our volunteer military force. Mission Transition: Managing Your Career and Your Retirement is a needed introduction of the military's new "Blended Retirement System," representing the big shift in how the DoD manages military retirements. In the process, it encourages service members to adopt the new concept of retirement in the military, improve their own financial literacy, and assume responsibility for their own retirement planning. Finally, it provides new civilian job survival tips and strategies for service members in the process of leaving the military for civilian life. For those who are contemplating joining the armed forces and who wish to better understand the myriad of changes to the overall military retirement system this is the ideal guide.
From the Marine Corps to College by
The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have taken a harsh toll on our military's population. Some service members come back from combat ready for a change of pace, others get caught up in the draw down currently occurring within the services. Many of these service members decide to pursue higher education. Veterans' education benefits are a source of much discussion, but often hard to decipher. From the Marine Corps to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education aims to simplify this process. Designed to help Marines navigate the world of higher education and their available state and federal benefits, this accessible guide will better prepare veterans for tackling their new mission: college. From the Marine Corps to College can be read as a book from cover-to-cover, or as a reference manual section-by-section. The easy to follow format will assist Marines in furthering their educational goals.
From the Air Force to College by
The Air Force can be the initial platform of a lifelong career pathway for individuals interested in serving one contract or those who stay on active-duty for a full career. The education and certification options available to airmen can enhance the career viability of those who choose to take advantage of the benefits, but learning about and navigating the possibilities can be difficult. From the Air Force to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education is designed to help readers navigate through this process and to assist them throughout their Air Force journey, including individuals who are just about to join, active-duty airmen, and those preparing to transition back into the civilian sector. This book serves as the go-to guide for those who actively seek opportunities to further develop their education and improve their current and future career prospects. The Air Force offers many different opportunities for career-enhancement and self-betterment, but if an airman does not know whom to seek out for advice, the process can get complicated. Plus, deciphering the world of higher education and navigating the available active-duty and veterans' benefits is challenging. Incorrect choices can mean extended periods of time backtracking later on or running out of payment options.
From the Army to College by
Today's soldiers are highly motivated to serve, but face numerous challenges, especially considering the sacrifices they have made over the past decade of war. As the service branches face budget cuts and draw downs, soldiers need to be aware of the resources and options available to help make them more competitive for promotion or more credible for potential civilian-sector employers. From the Army to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education fulfills this need by serving as a long-term reference manual that will support soldiers throughout their higher education or vocational pursuits and assist with navigating the available funding resources. Aspiring civilians looking to join the Army, soldiers already on active duty, or those transitioning into the civilian sector will gain invaluable information to help them properly prepare, plan, and perform the tasks necessary for a successful transition into the world of education. If a soldier's goal is to expand his or her credentials through education or training, this book is the definitive field manual.
From the Navy to College by
From the Navy to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education is an education and career reference guide for Sailors looking to join the Navy, already on active duty, or transitioning into the civilian sector. Serving as a long-term support guide for Sailors seeking further education and training, this book will enable Sailors hoping to pursue higher education and vocational training to navigate and understand all possible options. From getting started to degree completion, all available funding resources to help cover costs and Navy-based program options are detailed for the reader in order to assist throughout the course of an individual's chosen path. The Navy offers numerous programs for its service members while on active duty, but very few sailors are aware of the variety of those options or how to take advantage of them. No Navy manual exists that details these programs, outlines eligibility parameters, or describes the admissions process. From the Navy to College aims to correct this problem by disseminating the needed information in one easily accessible reference. Arming readers with the tools for success, this work is a necessary resource for all Sailors and Navy counseling personnel.
Military Identity and the Transition into Civilian Life by
This book outlines the relationship between social identity theory and military to civilian transition, examining the mass movement of soldiers back into the civilian occupational world by considering literature specifically on role exit and in relation to the process of full-time military exit. The authors document a range of biographical and experientially-focussed case studies to highlight the range of transitions experienced by individuals leaving the armed forces. This book highlights the challenges faced by those transitioning between military and civilian roles through retirement, redundancy, medical discharge or in constant transition as a Reservist. It addresses themes of significant public interest in the light of the recent restructure of the UK full-time and reserve services and following the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Adapt and Overcome by
The essays in Adapt and Overcome: Essays on the Student Veteran Experience explore issues faced by veteran-students when they confront the demands of college. Written for students, faculty and staff, and university administrators, the text helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the veteran-student experience and addresses how to support these students in order to maximize their chances for success.In the essays veterans discuss their reasons for joining the military and how their military experiences contributed to their decisions to attend college, as well as things they found stressful about pursuing further education. They write about strategies that worked for them as college students and share their ideas about how colleges and universities can be more supportive. Other topics include their need to acquire completely new skill sets to succeed academically and the reluctance they often experience in asking for help. Faculty and other university staff also write about helping student veterans succeed in academia.Adapt and Overcome is for those involved in veteran success initiatives and those wishing to understand and support the veteran in their own lives. Readers enhance their abilities to help veteran-students transition from the military to college and on to enriching and successful professional lives.
Out of Uniform by
After completing military service, veterans can have a difficult time finding employment when returning to civilian life. Out of Uniform, Second Edition is designed to help all transitioning military personnel, regardless of service, branch, rank, rating, time in service, time in grade, or specialty. Although all service members share common denominators, each individual brings something unique to the job market. Not only does this book cover the basics--search techniques, networking, interview preparation, résumés, negotiation, and a new chapter on social media--it also offers guidance on topics that are often overlooked, specifically the central issues of self-knowledge, interviewing empathy, and the power of questions. In addition to the technical guidance, readers will also discover important information in the anecdotes based on the experiences of soldiers, sailors, air force personnel, and marines. Out of Uniform, Second Edition is an invaluable resource for veterans who want to make the most out of their civilian career opportunities.
Handbook of Military Social Work by
The need has never been more crucial for community health providers, programs, and organizations to have access to training in addressing the unique behavioral health challenges facing our veterans, active duty military, and their families. Handbook of Military Social Work is edited by renowned leaders in the field, with contributions from social work professionals drawing from their wealth of experience working with veterans, active duty military, and their families. Handbook of Military Social Work considers: Military culture and diversity Women in the military Posttraumatic stress disorder in veterans Traumatic brain injury in the military Suicide in the military Homelessness among veterans Cycles of deployment and family well-being Grief, loss, and bereavement in military families Interventions for military children and youth Offering thoughtful advice covering the spectrum of issues encountered by mental health professionals working with individuals and families, Handbook of Military Social Work will contribute to the improvement of efforts to help our military personnel, veterans, and their families deal with the challenges they face.
Grateful Nation by
In today's volunteer military many recruits enlist for the educational benefits, yet a significant number of veterans struggle in the classroom, and many drop out. The difficulties faced by student veterans have been attributed to various factors: poor academic preparation, PTSD and other postwar ailments, and allegedly antimilitary sentiments on college campuses. In Grateful Nation Ellen Moore challenges these narratives by tracing the experiences of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans at two California college campuses. Drawing on interviews with dozens of veterans, classroom observations, and assessments of the work of veteran support organizations, Moore finds that veterans' academic struggles result from their military training and combat experience, which complicate their ability to function in civilian schools. While there is little evidence of antimilitary bias on college campuses, Moore demonstrates the ways in which college programs that conflate support for veterans with support for the institutional military lead to suppression of campus debate about the wars, discourage antiwar activism, and encourage a growing militarization.
Preparing Your Campus for Veterans' Success by
This book is intended for everyone in higher education - whether in the classroom, student affairs, administration, admissions, health services or faculty development - who is, or expects to be teaching, advising, or serving student veterans. This book is the outcome of a partnership between the Center for Teaching and Learning and the office of Disabilities Services at the University of South Dakota that led to the development of the Fides program whose goal was to establish high-quality, evidence-based development opportunities specifically designed to enable key university constituencies--the faculty, staff, and administration--to understand their role in providing extraordinary learning experiences for veterans. The program was funded through a congressionally directed FIPSE grant. Materials from Fides have been featured by prominent educational organizations, and are being used by the National Center for PTSD, colleges, universities, and boards of regents across the US. This book provides the background and guidelines you need to leverage the strengths that student veterans bring to your institution, to ease the challenges they face in transitioning into higher education, to facilitate their learning, and to ensure their successful graduation. Student veterans bring many strengths to your campus - maturity, significant life experiences, and cross-cultural awareness. They are highly motivated to serve others and value education. Student veterans may however face significant challenges. Student veterans have typically been out of high school for some time, where they may have earned average grades. Many are married with children and more than a few are single parents. They are approximately 20% less likely than non-veterans to attain a bachelor degree and slightly more likely to drop out of higher education without attaining a degree of any sort. Deployments extend their time to degree, and multiple deployments can significantly delay graduation. The challenges associated with transitioning from the military into higher education are heightened when a student has a disability - physical, psychological, or emotional. Common disabilities that are emerging from Iraq and Afghanistan include amputations, hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder. To enable student veterans to succeed, institutions need to develop holistic initiatives to mediate student veterans' transition and persistence, and develop appropriate programs and services that recognize their skills, family responsibilities, and distinct needs. This book outlines best practices for student affairs; describes innovative approaches to administrative services and support; suggests streamlining policies and procedures to make the campus "veteran friendly"; proposes ideas for academic programs; looks at the implications for course structure and design; considers the classroom environment; and explores how classroom policies impact student veterans. One chapter examines the issue of student veteran success specifically from the point of view of two-year institutions. The authors stress the importance of collaborative approaches across divisions and functions providing all stakeholders on campus with a comprehensive view of how they can support each to ensure the success of their student veterans.
Serving Those Who Served by
Practical advice on how best to serve veterans, service members, and their families in your community, including effective ways to develop new outreach partnerships and collaborations. Whether you work in a public library, an academic library, a school library, or any other type of library, you are likely to encounter members of the veteran and military communities. This book is a starting point to help librarians, library administrators, and all library employees understand how veterans, service members, and their families can be different from other patrons, recognize important elements of military and veteran culture, and identify strategies for effectively serving the veteran and military communities. In this book, you find tips to help you determine the size and the needs of the veteran and military communities in your local area. You'll learn about some common information requests and information-seeking behavior of veterans and service members. You'll discover how to take the needs and also the unique strengths of the veteran and military communities into account when developing library outreach efforts, programs, services, and collections. And you'll gain insights to help you harness the knowledge, strengths, and experiences of the veteran and military communities in order to help them fulfill their potential as an asset to the library and to the community.
Generation Vet by
Institutions of higher education are experiencing the largest influx of enrolled veterans since World War II, and these student veterans are transforming post-secondary classroom dynamics. While many campus divisions like admissions and student services are actively moving to accommodate the rise in this demographic, little research about this population and their educational needs is available, and academic departments have been slower to adjust. In Generation Vet, fifteen chapters offer well-researched, pedagogically savvy recommendations for curricular and programmatic responses to student veterans for English and writing studies departments. In work with veterans in writing-intensive courses and community contexts, questions of citizenship, disability, activism, community-campus relationships, and retention come to the fore. Moreover, writing-intensive courses can be sites of significant cultural exchanges'even clashes'as veterans bring military values, rhetorical traditions, and communication styles that may challenge the values, beliefs, and assumptions of traditional college students and faculty. This classroom-oriented text addresses a wide range of issues concerning veterans, pedagogy, rhetoric, and writing program administration. Written by diverse scholar-teachers and written in diverse genres, the essays in this collection promise to enhance our understanding of student veterans, composition pedagogy and administration, and the post-9/11 university.
An Instructor's Guide to Teaching Military Students by
An Instructor's Guide to Teaching Military Students is a resource for online and on-ground educators in private and public learning institutions around the world. The content applies to faculty members in liberal arts and research-oriented institutions, and vocational trainers. Topics are related to the creation of lecture material and delivery of course content in computer and information science, engineering, and engineering technology, healthcare, business and finance, marketing communications and general education courses in the arts and social sciences. Suggestions on providing feedback that is sensitive to the unique culture and experiences of military students are provided as well. The last chapter includes the opinions of academic and military experts on what progress has been made in meeting the needs of this particular student population, as well as predictions about future changes that will facilitate the transition from service member to scholar. The term, "military learners" has been adapted for this text to include active-duty service members and their families, veterans, members of the U.S. National Guard, and reservists, as well as U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) contractors. Language used that can be easily understood and applied by the novice instructor, or the seasoned professional. This handbook also provides useful suggestions on helping students translate their military training and experience into more active classroom participation.
Disability Rights, Benefits, and Support Services Sourcebook by
"Provides basic consumer health information about barriers faced by people with disabilities, disability rights movement, right to education, housing, employment, voting, access to medical care, and transportation, as well as Social Security disability insurance, tax exemption, coverage option, and compensation. Includes directory of organizations for people with disabilities"--Provided by publisher"--
Unemployment Insurance by
Unemployment insurance (UI) is a federal-state system and mandatory AJC partner. UI benefits are available to workers who have involuntarily lost their jobs and have demonstrated a required level of labor force attachment. UI provides weekly cash payments to replace a portion of eligible workers earnings, up to a statewide maximum. Eligibility and benefit levels vary by state, though most states offer up to 26 weeks of state-financed UI benefits through each states Unemployment Compensation (UC) program. Certain economic conditions may extend the duration of UI benefits through the permanent Extended Benefit (EB) program.
The Wounded Warrior Handbook by
The typical wounded soldier must complete and file twenty-two forms after an active-duty injury. To soldiers and their families coping with the shock and reality of the injuries, figuring out what to do next--even completing tasks that seem easy like submitting paperwork--can be overwhelming and confusing. The second edition of this popular resource guide has been thoroughly revised to reflect new policies, additional benefits, updated procedures, and changes to insurance, including traumatic injury insurance and social security disability insurance. New chapters cover veterans' benefits in depth--which have seen significant changes in the last two years--and returning to active duty after an injury. As in the previous edition, this guide directs you to answers and resources for the most pressing and difficult questions that wounded veterans face, such as: -Where can I find information on symptoms and treatments of injuries? -How do I get through all this paperwork? -Where can I get legal assistance? -What can I do for employment? -How do I get back into everyday life? -How can I return to active duty? -How do I deal with insurance? -What benefits are available to me, and how do I claim them? -What about my family? How can they help me? This trusted resource is both comprehensive and easy to use, and now the most up-to-date guide for wounded veterans and their families dealing with active-duty injuries.
Wounds of War by
U.S. military conflicts abroad have left nine million Americans dependent on the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for medical care. Their "wounds of war" are treated by the largest hospital system in the country--one that has come under fire from critics in the White House, on Capitol Hill, and in the nation's media. In Wounds of War, Suzanne Gordon draws on five years of observational research to describe how the VHA does a better job than private sector institutions offering primary and geriatric care, mental health and home care services, and support for patients nearing the end of life. In the unusual culture of solidarity between patients and providers that the VHA has fostered, Gordon finds a working model for higher-quality health care and a much-needed alternative to the practice of for-profit medicine.
Secondary Trauma and Burnout in Military Behavioral Health Providers by
This book provides an in-depth look at the complex clinical, individual, and organizational challenges that our clinicians face in treating our returning soldiers struggling with the aftermath of more than a decade of war. The author explores the confluence of factors that make this time in history a perfect storm for military mental health providers. The signature wounds of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars weave a tapestry of emotional turmoil with diffuse brain injury difficulties that challenge the very best clinicians under the best conditions. The author targets different pieces of the puzzle including the prevalence of secondary trauma and burnout, the organizational factors that promote negative clinician well-being, the creation and evaluation of an online social media based intervention for burnout, and a critical review of peer coaching.
Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury and Ptsd by
As more veterans return from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, more are needing care for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI). While there are several treatment and recovery options, outlets for support, and other resources, understanding and gaining access to them is often difficult or confusing. In Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD: A Resource and Recovery Guide, authors Cheryl Lawhorne and Don Philpott offer guidance for returning veterans, from treatment options, to diagnostic criteria and techniques, to resources for rehabilitation and support. The authors begin discussions of TBI and PTSD by offering definitions of each, outlining the risk factors, and exploring the relationship between the two. They then move on to provide explanations of diagnostic criteria, treatment options, prevention techniques, and barriers to seeking care. Sections on the important role that insurance and health care plays, and on the support of family and friends, round out this useful and accessible volume. This is an essential guide for returning veterans, their families, and all who work with veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI.
The Last and Greatest Battle by
Nearly every day an active-duty soldier in the United States military resorts to suicide, and nearly every hour a veteran does the same. In recent years the problem of military suicides has reached epidemic proportions, but it's all too easy for most of us to gloss over the headlines or tune out the details. In The Last and Greatest Battle -- the first book devoted exclusively to the problem of military suicides - John Bateson brings this neglected crisis into the spotlight. Bateson, the former executive director of a nationally certified suicide prevention center, surveys the history of suicide in the United States military from the Civil War to the present day and outlines a plan to save lives - and ultimately end the tragedy of military suicides.He uses the stories of individual soldiers to illuminate the unique challenges faced by American troops today. Transitioning from the front lines to the home front is difficult for many service members, and many need help both during and after their deployments. But even though the military is spending millions of dollars on suicide prevention programs, record numbers of soldiers continue to take their lives. To that end, Bateson outlines a plan of action. If the military works to remove stigma, to make treatment more effective and more accessible, and to limit risk factors for suicide in the first place by taking measures like reducing the number and length of deployments and adjusting pre-deployment training to take into account the way that wars are waged today, an end to the problem of military suicide is as possible as it is essential.
Stopping Military Suicides by
Blending illustrative narratives from veterans with cutting-edge research, this book provides a model for a needed shift from treatment post-trauma to psychological training pre-trauma to prevent deep depression and resulting suicides. As suicides among members of the U.S. military and veterans continue at a rate higher than in the general population--nearly 20 each day--and their calls for help become louder, with three veterans waiting for treatment outside Veterans Administration hospitals in 2019 committing suicide, authors and former U.S. Marines Kate Hendricks Thomas and Sarah Plummer Taylor present a call for a new approach to help halt the needless deaths. Thomas, now a researcher and assistant professor of public health, and Plummer Taylor, now a social worker and adjunct professor, detail a plan to establish preventative training for mental fitness that will help psychologically "vaccinate" service members against depression and PTSD, the most common precursors to suicidal thoughts. Thomas and Plummer Taylor detail their mental fitness training program to shift from post-trauma treatment to pre-trauma prevention. Each topic addressed is illustrated with stories from veterans. Part of the solution, Thomas and Plummer Taylor explain, is to present prevention as something for all service members and as a positive, strength-building, challenging activity for champions, as opposed to a post-trauma treatment only for "weak and broken" warriors.
Understanding and Treating Military Sexual Trauma by 
Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction Therapy by
Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction Therapy (TrIGR) provides mental health professionals with tools for assessing and treating guilt and shame resulting from trauma and moral injury. Guilt and shame are common features in many of the problems trauma survivors experience including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance use, and suicidality. This book presents Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction (TrIGR) Therapy, a brief, transdiagnostic psychotherapy designed to reduce guilt and shame. TrIGR offers flexibility in that it can be delivered as an individual or group treatment. Case examples demonstrate how TrIGR can be applied to a range of trauma types including physical assault, sexual abuse, childhood abuse, motor vehicle accidents, and to moral injury from combat and other military-related events. Conceptualization of trauma-related guilt and shame, assessment and treatment, and special applications are covered in-depth.
The Routledge International Handbook of Military Psychology and Mental Health by
Military psychology has become one of the world's fastest-growing disciplines with ever-emerging new applications of research and development. The Routledge International Handbook of Military Psychology and Mental Health is a compendium of chapters by internationally renowned scholars in the field, bringing forth the state of the art in the theory, practice and future prospects of military psychology. This uniquely interdisciplinary volume deliberates upon the current issues and applications of military psychology not only within the military organization and the discipline of psychology, but also in the larger context of its role of building a better world. Split into three parts dedicated to specific themes, the first part of the book, "Military Psychology: The Roots and the Journey," provides an overview of the evolution of the discipline over the years, delving into concepts as varied as culture and cognition in the military, a perspective on the role of military psychology in future warfare and ethical issues. The second part, "Soldiering: Deployment and Beyond," considers the complexities involved in soldiering in view of the changing nature of warfare, generating a focal discourse on various aspects of military leadership, soldier resilience and post-traumatic growth in the face of extreme situations, bravery and character strengths and transitioning to civilian life. In the final section, "Making a Choice: Mental Health Issues and Prospects in the Military," the contributors focus on the challenges and practices involved in maintaining the mental health of the soldier, covering issues ranging from stress, mental health and well-being, through to suicide risk and its prevention, intervention and management strategies, moral injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. Incorporating enlightening contributions of eminent scholars from around the world, the volume is a comprehensive repository of current perspectives and future directions in the domain of military psychology. It will prove a valuable resource for mental health practitioners, military leaders, policy-makers and academics and students across a range of disciplines.
Sleep in the Military by
Given the unprecedented demands on the U.S. military since 2001 and the risks posed by stress and trauma, there has been growing concern about the prevalence and consequences of sleep problems. This first-ever comprehensive review of military sleep-related policies and programs, evidence-based interventions, and barriers to achieving healthy sleep offers a detailed set of actionable recommendations for improving sleep across the force.
