Barbara Link

The College of Southern Maryland

AFACCT ’14 Conference

Prince George’s Community College

Session 2.9. January 9, 2014

Understanding Issues Confronting Our Veteran Students

Facts92% were exposed to a traumatic

combat experience, such as being ambushed

95% were shot at94.5% had to search for dead bodies86.5% know someone who was

seriously injured or killedSymptoms of PTSD worsen over time,

leading some veterans to drug or alcohol abuse, homelessness, suicide, etc.

FactsThree major types of injuries:

◦Physical injuries (amputations, burns, orthopedic injuries)

◦TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) ◦(PTSD) Operational stress injuries

and mental health injuries Suicide rate among Iraq/Afghan

War veterans is going up and may soon be higher than battlefield deaths.

Facts30% of the veteran population

has been diagnosed with PTSD as opposed to 3% of the general population

20% have spinal cord injuries18% experienced serious wounds6% suffered amputation – more

than in the Vietnam War

Specific symptomsFrom witnessing violence and

death:◦Increased anger and aggression◦Anxiety◦Sleep disorders◦PTSD

Income disparity Unemployment Relationship issues Aggressive behavior

General issuesWhat educators may see:

◦Unpredicted attendance due to pain or other symptoms

◦Scheduled absences due to VA appointments

◦Medication-impaired performance in class

TBIBlasts actually alter cells’

metabolism and result in cell death

Injury may be invisible to the eyePressure wave from blast may

impact ears, lungs, brain, and spine

Approx. 43% of returning vets have been examined for TBI

Strategies for working with veterans with TBICoachingSchedulingStrategies

including alarm clocks

PlannersPagersScheduled

breaks to prevent fatigue

ChecklistsMemory aids,

such as tape records and supportive phone calls

Adaptive technologies

MentoringPeer support

Important aids for veterans with TBISelf-pacingGradual adjustment to college

lifeFamily supportSmall successes that can lay the

groundwork for confidence and bigger successes (scaffolding).

PTSDPerson has experienced or

witnessed events that involved:◦Death◦Serious injury to self to others

AND, the response included:◦Intense fear◦Helplessness◦Horror

PTSDExperience is relived through

◦Dreams◦Feelings◦Recurring thoughts

Efforts to avoid the trauma, include: ◦Feelings of detachment◦Sense of shortened future◦Avoiding people, places, activities

that recall the event

PTSDProblems caused by PTSD:

◦Suicidal thoughts◦Issues with trust◦Difficulty developing relationships (e.g., social relationships, marital difficulties)

◦Unemployment◦Divorce◦Depression◦Domestic violence

PTSD◦ Problems with cognitive skills◦ Difficulty coping under pressure◦ Problems with authority figures◦ Problems with constructive feedback◦ Inclination to engage in risky behaviors:

Substance abuse Multiple sexual partners Impulsive, angry, and aggressive

outbursts Average time to healing: 7 years

Obstacles to success at college

Self-disclosure◦Leaves the veteran vulnerable◦Behavior labeled as “macho” in

combat can later discourage veterans from seeking help

◦Maybe be embarrassing for veterans to admit TBI or PTSD – the invisible injuries

◦Veterans may not want to discuss their experiences

◦Veterans are not trying to cause problems for others

Other obstacles to success at college

Negative attitude toward veterans by faculty

Negative attitudes toward veterans by fellow students

Bureaucracy (government and college-level) that impedes financial aid

Problems with civilian authorityDenied academic credit for military

trainingColleges fail to acknowledge personal

and academic challenges facing veterans

Other obstacles to success at college

Having to reapply to programs because of deployments

Losing scholarships because of deployments mid-semester

Skills learned in combat not applicable to college settings

Being told they must appear in person to resolve financial issues

Inability to sit for long periods of timeForgetting how to study

How colleges can helpCollaboration at the highest

levels of the college to provide:◦Career services◦Disability services◦Veteran-specific services◦Peer counseling◦Programs to educate faculty about

challenges facing veterans

How colleges can helpCentralized office on all campuses for

veterans◦ Staffed by student veterans◦ “Storehouse” of information for veterans

Scholarship information Benefits forms Help completing the forms Referrals for counseling

◦ Opportunity for veterans to interact with other veterans

Have a veterans’ clubSensitivity training for faculty and

administrators

ReferencesAccommodating veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms

in the academic setting. (2010). Rehabilitation Education, 24(1 & 2), 43-56. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Ackerman, R., DiRamio, D., & Garza Mitchell, R. L. (2009). Transition: Combat veterans as college students. New Directions for Student Services, (126), 5-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ss.311

Church, T. E. (2009). Returning veterans on campus with war related injuries and the long road back home. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(1), 43-52.

Glover-Graf, N. M., Miller, E., & Freeman, S. (2010). Accommodating veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorde symptoms in the academic setting. Rehabilitation Education, 24(1 & 2), 43-56. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Summerlot, J., Green, S.-M., & Parker, D. (2009). Student veterans organizations. New Directions for Student Services, 126, 71-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/sa.318

Zinger, L., & Cohen, A. (2010). Veterans returning from war into the classroom: How can colleges be better prepared to meet their needs. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 3(1), 39-51. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.