Boots to Books: Providing Support for Military-Connected Students Friday, April 13th, 2018 Elyse Quirk Suffolk County Community College

SCCC Data 2018 Census Report Data 2016 Suffolk County is home to approximately 67,000 Veterans Approximately 7,000 are OEF/OIF/OND era of service Largest number of veterans in any NYS county Second largest number of veterans in any county in the nation Enrolled nearly 700 military- connected students (2017- 2018) Veterans Actively Serving National Guard Reservists Active Duty Dependents/Spouses

Welcome Home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDbqLul97Fg

The Student Veteran Is no longer serving in the military A small portion have been deployed, an even smaller number have seen combat A small number may experience issues related to combat deployments (PTSD, TBI, physical limitations, etc.) Adjusting to changing conditions with family, friends, and in their communities (movie metaphor) Missing the comradery they formed in service May be entering college for the first time, or for the first time in a long time Forming a new identity post-service

The Actively Serving Student May be stationed out of state or overseas, communication can be a challenge May not be a resident of New York State Serving in the military full time or part time May maintain a civilian career (Guard and Reservists) Usually does not attend school full time, typically takes longer to reach degree completion May be called away for deployments, military training, drill weekends, etc.

Military & veteran education benefits Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill / Yellow Ribbon Program Chapter 1606 Select Reserves GI Bill Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill Military Tuition Assistance Federal (FTA) or State (DMNA or RIRP) Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Chapter 35 Survivors’ and Dependents Educational Assistance Fry Scholarship HESC Veterans’ Tuition Award

Transitioning into college… Learning the language of academia Navigating college processes and complicated bureaucracy Forming relationships with other students Creating understanding between faculty and students May require additional services to succeed (i.e. Disability Services, Mental Health Counseling, VA Specific Services, Education Benefit Guidance, Tutoring, Social Opportunities, etc.) Balancing responsibilities of school, work, and family The presence of PTSD or TBI can make all of the challenges listed above even more difficult to overcome

Cereal…

No two veterans are alike! STUDENT A: Served Active Duty for 4 Years No longer serving in the military Received an Other Than Honorable Discharge 20% Disability Rating with the VA STUDENT B: Serves in the National Guard Honorable Discharge from Active Duty status 2 Years total Active Duty time, with two deployments to combat zones Diagnosed with TBI from a head injury he received while on deployment

No two veterans are alike! STUDENT A WILL REQUIRE: Education/Employment Benefit that will accept an Other Than Honorable discharge – Vocational Rehab A resource that can help him upgrade his discharge status- Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency Refer to Student Veterans of America for on-campus peer support STUDENT B WILL REQUIRE: Post 9/11 GI Bill Advisement Veteran Tuition Award Advisement Military Tuition Assistance Advisement Connection to Disability Services Gauge whether student may need mental health counseling, connect to resources on and off campus for mental health counseling as needed Refer to the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Project for confidential peer counseling Refer to Student Veterans of America for on-campus peer support

How Can I Help? Referrals to your college’s Veterans POC for advisement, services, and additional resources Become familiar with the different types of aid that are available to military-connected students Instructions can be delivered in concise bullet points, instead of long narratives Not all questions are Veteran-specific! Don’t make assumptions, no two veterans are alike! Don’t push them to share about their experiences They may not trust you right away, and that is okay! Don’t identify as Veterans without their permission! Steer conversations away from current world events, political issues, etc. Certain questions should be avoided all together Use caution when saying “I understand how you feel, or I understand where you are coming from” Graduation planning can cause a great deal of stress for Veterans because of loss of income

Questions? Shannon O’Neill College-wide Director of Veterans Affairs 631-451-4869, oneills@sunysuffolk.edu Elyse Quirk 631-451-4456 Option 1 quirke@sunysuffolk.edu