Supporting
Veterans by Increasing Community Awareness
Brennan
Burnett
With the implementation of the new
Post 9/11 GI Bill in August 2009, institutions of higher education have
experienced an increased number of student veterans on campus. There are, currently,
more than 350,000 men and women using GI Bill education benefits (Steele,
Salcedo, & Coley, 2010). The need for student veteran transition and
support services in our institutions has been widely discussed in recent years,
with many successful initiatives put into place. As someone whom works closely
with the student veteran population, it seems like there is always a new report
or checklist being released for institutions of higher education; that being
said, there is still a lack of awareness and understanding from the general
public. While universities are currently looking for ways to increase support
for student veterans, there may be an opportunity to reach out to the veteran
community as a whole and provide necessary support to a population that is in need.
A number of returning veterans are faced with unemployment, familial
responsibilities, disabilities, and other military-to-civilian transition
issues.
A recent
article in The Chronicle of Higher Education discusses university initiatives
where institutions have reached beyond their campus community and partnered
with outside employers and service providers to bring needed support services
to student veterans. The article even makes mention of USC’s Center for
Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families, where the Los
Angeles Veterans Collaborative meets. The goal of the Collaborative is to bring
various groups together to collectively discuss and develop action steps that
will improve services to our local veterans (Sander, 2012). I see the good work
being done, and feel that if institutions of higher education can continue to
bring the appropriate people to the table and initiate conversation, the
outcomes will result in increased support to our veterans.
Being a part
of the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative has allowed me to see the amount of
resources and support available to returning veterans, but there has been a
challenge in disseminating that information to veterans themselves and community
partners. Many institutions of higher education have the means and the ability
to spread the word and help facilitate transition for veterans as they pursue
an education or a career. Colleges and universities can serve as a source of
information for students, veterans, faculty, staff, employers, community
members, and service providers. Our institutions have the capacity to help
bridge the gap between veterans and civilians by providing adequate information
and training to faculty and staff and creating a campus culture of openness and
support toward returning veterans. By taking strong initiatives on our
campuses, I believe we can increase knowledge and awareness beyond our limited
reach, and inform local communities, employers, service providers, and the
general public.
I realize
that not all institutions have the proper means or experience to take on such a
large task, but those that do should strongly consider ways to increase
awareness and support for veterans by utilizing the resources and wealth of
knowledge available to them. Just as institutions have reached out to
communities in efforts to increase college access, or raise awareness about
issues of diversity, there is an opportunity to utilize the university’s
platform to increase understanding of and support for our military veterans.
Sander, L. (2012). Colleges venture off campus to bridge
military-civilian divide. The
Chronicle of Higher Education.
Steele, J.L., Salcedo, N., Coley, J. (2010). Service members in school: Military
veterans’
experiences using the Post 9/11 G.I.
Bill and pursuing postsecondary education.
Washington
DC: American Council on Education
Brennan, as you know, I am also very interested in this special population and am passionate about improving the programs and services that are provided to these students during their transition to higher education. You bring up two important points that I have found could use some improvement here at USC. I have sat in more than one class and listened to a guest speaker misstate a statistic or fact about the veteran population in general, or ours here at USC. It is so frustrating to me, and it has become very clear that there is a lack of general knowledge about these students as a whole, and more importantly, the students attending our institution. The fact that members of our university are misinformed and then in turn, are disseminating incorrect information out to students on campus is disheartening. Individuals need to find ways to be educated or self-educate about this growing population with a very unique set of needs. Awareness across campus by all parties who have contact with veteran students is the first step towards some of the initiatives that you suggested. This brings me to my second point; there are improvements that can be made on this campus to better serve veteran students. For example, a dedicated space for students to congregate, meet, study, relax, and seek resources would be a great addition to the programs and services that we already offer. The university could also improve it's Yellow Ribbon Program to increase access to veterans who are interested in attending USC with their Post 9/11 GI Bill. However, as I said, awareness of the facts and issues facing these students is the first step. Once administrators are informed, they will be better-equipped to implement changes to better serve those who have served us.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Amanda; the root of this issue is the lack of awareness. I myself don't feel completely informed about this student population, and it is one that I would like to learn more about. Student veteran is an identity that cuts across all student populations. Veterans can come from all walks of life and experience the hardships of getting through college like any other student would, with the added stress of making a military-to-civilian transition. Like any other identified student population on campus, student veterans should have a space on campus that they can go to where they can find resources tailored to them. More than that, all offices and departments on a university campus that offer services to students should be knowledgable of the issues facing student veterans, and should be able to be a resource. Generally speaking, and not to get too political, those who decide to serve our country, often times putting their lives on the line, should be, for lack of better terms, the ones we take care of the most. The university, with its ability to provide services and disseminate information, should be at the forefront of this logic. -Gerry
ReplyDeleteBy: Elizabeth Hernandez
ReplyDeleteIt is almost unbelievable to learn that nearly 350,000 students on our campuses are veterans and are benefiting from the GI Bill. Despite this alarming number, it is unfortunate that our higher education institutions are not equipped with the proper resources to support their needs, both academically and socially. Shouldn't we be implementing veterans centers around campuses, creating a welcoming and supportive environment, and thanking them for risking their lives while they are out there fighting to defend this country? I just find it hard to believe that as a nation, we do not show sufficient appreciation or support. I am glad that at USC, we have the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families. This is a preliminary step in developing those services that these students need. I do agree with Brennan about using university platforms to reach out into the community and bring more awareness, and help connect our military veterans with society as a whole.
The GI Bill was passed after the September 11 US terror attacks provides education benefits to the war veterans who return from war so that they can experience a smooth military-civilian transition. However, there is a lack of awareness among college students and communities of the existence of the GI Bill. Institutions of higher education should bridge the gap between civilians and veterans through the provision of training and adequate information to staff and faculty members so that a culture of openness and support towards war veterans who decide to join college prevails.
ReplyDeleteBy Raquel Anderson