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

2. 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 ( )
Veterans
Actively Serving
National Guard
Reservists
Active Duty
Dependents/Spouses

3. Welcome Home

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. Cereal…

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Questions? Shannon O’Neill College-wide Director of Veterans Affairs,
Elyse Quirk
Option 1