need help with idea

[steelrain82]

ive been thinking about this a lot. currently every program out their caters to all vets. but i joined a new vets group at college, and i noticed that they act as if all vets are the same. i feel that combat vets, are really different from regular vets who either didnt fight in combat, due to no war or just for whatever reason didnt fight. i know many people feel we shouldnt have different standards for one group than we do for another. but i feel like actual combat vets have real different needs and problems than non-combat vets. all the combat vets i know for the most part, either do poorly in school and drop out or have problems but takes them awhile to finish even there AA degree. i know because i am also one of these vets. its taken me six years of off and on school to be one class short of my AA. so i would like to get some ideas of what sort of things you guys would think should be different. i would like to write a letter that i can send to all sorts of political people to maybe get something going.

[PyroFox79]

ive been thinking about this a lot. currently every program out their caters to all vets. but i joined a new vets group at college, and i noticed that they act as if all vets are the same. i feel that combat vets, are really different from regular vets who either didnt fight in combat, due to no war or just for whatever reason didnt fight. i know many people feel we shouldnt have different standards for one group than we do for another. but i feel like actual combat vets have real different needs and problems than non-combat vets. all the combat vets i know for the most part, either do poorly in school and drop out or have problems but takes them awhile to finish even there AA degree. i know because i am also one of these vets. its taken me six years of off and on school to be one class short of my AA. so i would like to get some ideas of what sort of things you guys would think should be different. i would like to write a letter that i can send to all sorts of political people to maybe get something going.

I understand what you are saying. But in this wold someone would whine that they were being excluded because they didnt deploy. I personally find it hard to make friendships with other vets who have not deployed. I dont know what it is maybe I'm just weird. Then again I dont get along with most people anyways.

[steelrain82]

I understand that but I have PTSD from my combat experiences. And for school my dependence get to go to school for free but I have to pay. Wyoming has free college for veterans who have combat service five or six other states have similar programs but here in California nothing for vets. I'm not saying that my wife getting her BA almost for free wasn't great. But it sucks for vets trying to further themselves and get educated. I always hear about how vets always excel in college over their non veteran peers, for the most part. But like I said in the op, this is nowhere near true for all the combat vets I know. Many of them waste their gi bill trying to get an AA or even if they go to a university that might only cover a year or two. We not only have the same problems that regular students have. We have a myriad of problems from the war wether they admit it or not.

[Lost]

There is a huge shift in colleges these days with trying to find ways to help veterans succeed in college, at the State Universities and at the Community Colleges. Granted it all depends on how much the Veterans Affairs people care, but there is a huge push going on to address issues such as this.

PM me with your school and I can see if my Veterans Affairs coordinator or liaison will be willing to help you out. They are on vacation until the 3rd, but let me see what I can do for you.

[Lost]

This is what was just sent around (in multiple posts due to character limits per post):

[Lost]

Part II

ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

12. Alternative curriculum format

 Do you offer courses in alternative formats (online, hybrid, weekend, evening)?

 If courses are offered, how many?

 How are veterans made aware of these courses? (Examples include campus mailers to SVO and

others, targeted electronic messaging, US mail, etc.)

 How many academic programs offer courses in alternative formats?

13. Veteran-focused transition services for student veterans entering the university

 What transition services do you offer for entering students? Examples may include freshmen

seminars, new/transfer student orientations, learning communities, and first-year experience

(FYE) programs that emphasize or highlight veteran interests, first-year study or tutor groups for

veterans, and similar programs.

 How many incoming student veterans do these programs reach, or what proportion of incoming

student veterans do these programs reach?

 What is the impact of the service(s)? Do you measure or can you otherwise discern the

satisfaction or student learning outcomes associated with the service? If so, please describe the

overall satisfaction or the types of learning that occurs.

14. Veteran-focused transition services for student veterans continuing in the university

 What transition services do you offer for continuing students? Examples may include academic

major selection, internships at veteran-friendly businesses, career fairs with companies that want

to hire veterans, networking and lifelong learning skills, student-faculty research projects, or

leadership programs.

 How many continuing student veterans do these programs reach, or what proportion of continuing

student veterans do these programs reach?

 What is the impact of the service(s)? Do you measure or can you otherwise discern the

satisfaction or student learning outcomes associated with the service? If so, please describe the

overall satisfaction or the types of learning that occurs.

15. Veteran-focused transition services for student veterans graduating from the university

 What transition services do you offer for exiting students? Examples may include: assistance with

graduation check-out, veteran-focused career fairs, or referrals to veteran alumni organizations.

 How many graduating student veterans do these programs reach, or what proportion of

graduating student veterans do these programs reach?

 What is the impact of the service(s)? Do you measure or can you otherwise discern the

satisfaction or student learning outcomes associated with the service? If so, please describe the

overall satisfaction or the types of learning that occurs.

16. Entry-level, credit-bearing courses offered to new students that target veterans

 Do any such student veteran-specific courses exist (freshmen or new transfer student seminars,

study skills, college preparation, etc.)?

 If so, how many?

 How often are they offered?

 How are they coordinated and structured?

17. Upper-division, credit-bearing course offerings to students that focus on veterans’ issues

 Are upper-division courses offered that focus on veterans’ issues?

 In what discipline(s) are they situated (e.g. social work, psychology, criminal justice, economics),

and what subjects do they cover?

 If they are offered, how many are offered?

 How frequently are they offered?

18. Veteran-focused academic mentoring

 Do you have any type of formal or informal academic mentoring for student veterans?

 If you have a formal mentoring program, please describe it. Are lists of mentors posted? Are

mentors trained?

 How well-utilized is the program?

19. Veteran-focused advising services

 What type, if any, of veteran-focused advising services do you offer?

 If no veteran-focused advising is offered, where do student veterans receive advising?

 How well-established are the veteran-focused advising services? Explain.

 If services are offered, how well-utilized are they by students?

Section Summary questions

How significant are academic and student support programs and services in creating a “veteran-



friendly campus?”

How significant are they in creating a “veteran success-oriented campus?”



FINANCIAL SUPPORT

20. University-sponsored grants or scholarships

 What types of university grants or scholarships are available to student veterans?

 How many student veterans does this program support?

21. Emergency short term loans to student veterans

 Are emergency short term loans offered to student veterans?

 If yes, how much money can typically be loaned?

 How many student veterans does this program support?

Section Summary questions

How important is financial support in creating a “veteran-friendly campus?”



How important is this in creating a “veteran success-oriented campus?”

[Lost]

Part III

VETERAN-SPECIFIC POLICIES

22. Admission priority policy

 Please describe your admissions priority policy or protocol for veterans, if one exists.

 Is the policy a formal one or does it exist primarily as a form of practice?

 In either case, to whom does it apply? (e.g. California, out of state, and/or overseas residents)

 If there is no policy, are there processes or procedures that allow for considerations to be made?

 If there is a policy, to what extent is it readily visible online to prospective and enrolled students?

 To what extent do eligible students utilize the policy, and is it helpful?

23. Registration priority policy

 Please describe your registration priority policy or protocol for veterans, if one exists.

 Is the policy a formal one or does it exist primarily as a form of practice?

 If it the policy exists in any form, what priority do student veterans receive? (e.g. before athletes

or other groups)

 If it does not exist, are there processes or procedures that allow for considerations to be made?

 If there is a policy, to what extent is it readily visible and accessible to prospective and enrolled

students?

 To what extent do eligible students utilize the policy, and is it helpful?

24. Course withdrawal policy due to mobilization or deployment

 What are your withdrawal policies and procedures for veterans who must leave because of

mobilization or deployment? Please explain how that process works. (For example removing

WUs from transcripts.)

 Is the policy a formal one or does it exist primarily as a form of practice?

 If there are no special policies in place, are there processes or procedures that allow for

considerations to be made?

 If there are no special considerations made for deployed veterans, are they expected to follow the

University withdrawal policy?

 If there is a policy, to what extent is it readily visible and accessible to prospective and enrolled

students?

 To what extent do eligible students utilize the policy?

25. Readmission policy on returning from mobilization or deployment

 Do you have a special readmission priority policy for veterans returning from mobilization or

deployment? (for example, allowing readmission in all cases if within one year of deploying with

orders)

 Is the policy a formal one or does it exist primarily as a form of practice?

 If there are no special policies in place, are there processes or procedures that allow for

considerations to be made?

 If there are no special considerations, are veterans expected to follow the University readmission

policy?

 What are the processes and procedures returning veterans must follow?

 If there is a policy, to what extent is it readily visible and accessible to prospective and enrolled

students?

 To what extent do eligible students utilize the policy?

26. Academic credit for veterans at the CSU

 Do you have an “advanced standing”/academic credit policy for veterans? The policy could

include accepting academic credit from sources such as non-collegiate training, College Level

Examination Program (CLEP) tests, and/or DSST/DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional

Education Support) tests.

 If there are no special policies in place, are there processes or procedures that allow for

considerations to be made?

 If there is a policy, is it readily visible online to prospective and enrolled students?

 To what extent do eligible students utilize the policy, and is it helpful?

27. Academic credit policy for military training

 Do you have a policy for accepting credit for military service or training (for example, Military

Occupation Specialties (MOS) held or other military training completed)?

 How much “military” credit may be generally accepted?

 To what extent do eligible students request and receive academic credit?

Section summary questions

How significant are veteran-specific policies in creating a “veteran-friendly campus?”



How significant are they in creating a “veteran success-oriented campus?”



LEADERSHIP AND CO-CURRICULAR ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

28. Student Veteran Organization (SVO)

 Do you have an SVO, or any veteran organization that meets regularly and/or is affiliated with

Student Veterans of America? If not, do you plan to have one?

 If an SVO exists, how well is it supported by the university community? (e.g. by designated

space, access to equipment, advisors)

 How do students find out about the SVO? How is it publicized? (e.g. presence on Facebook,

university website, campus billboards)

 Please describe the programming the organization sponsors or presents.

 How well attended/utilized are such programs?

29. Veteran-focused leadership opportunities

 Please describe the types (if any) of veteran-focused leadership opportunities available.

(Examples include community service opportunities, interactions with alumni in the community,

involvement with activities partnering with university faculty/staff, participation in conferences,

workshops or presentations etc.)

 If available how many are offered, and how frequently (per semester, or year)?

 How well are they attended?

 What is the impact of the service(s)? Do you measure or can you otherwise discern the

satisfaction or student learning outcomes associated with the service? If so, please describe the

overall satisfaction or the types of learning that occur.

 Are opportunities organized as a cumulative or developmental program that builds on prior

activities and accomplishments? Explain.

30. Veteran-focused lectures, workshops, and seminars

 Do you offer veteran-focused lectures, workshops, and seminars (examples include: CDVA

updates, VA resources, and feedback from other veterans)?

 If so, how many are offered, and how frequently are they offered?

 How well are they attended?

 What is the impact of the service(s)? Do you measure or can you otherwise discern the

satisfaction or student learning outcomes associated with the service? If so, please describe the

overall satisfaction or the types of learning that occur.

31. Veteran-focused peer mentoring/network groups

 Do you offer veteran-focused peer mentoring/network groups? (For example, does your university

offer a mentorship program outside of what would be considered “academic” such as areas

including college acclimation, and campus life?)

 If so, are they structured or informal?

 Are they offered to all student veterans or only to specific groups? Which specific groups?

 What is the impact of the service(s)? Do you measure or can you otherwise discern the

satisfaction or student learning outcomes associated with the service? If so, please describe the

overall satisfaction or the types of learning that occur.

32. Female veteran programs

 Do you offer specific and unique programs or services for female veterans (for example,

workshops, seminars, or related activities offered that specifically target typically female veteran

issues like child-care or sexual assault recovery programs)? If so, what are the programs?

 How often (per year or per semester) are these programs offered?

 How well known and visible are the women’s programs? How are they publicized?

 What is the impact of the service(s)? Do you measure or can you otherwise discern the

satisfaction or student learning outcomes associated with the service? If so, please describe the

overall satisfaction or the types of learning that occur.

 Are some programs available in a confidential, women-only environment?

33. Veteran-themed housing

 Do you have campus housing?

 If so, do you have campus housing specifically for student veterans?

 If you have student veteran housing, do you have veteran programs for residents? If so, what are

they?

 Do you have an online housing network for veterans?

Section summary questions:

How significant are leadership and co-curricular engagement opportunities in creating a “veteran-



friendly campus?”

How significant are they in creating a “veteran success-oriented campus?”

[Lost]

Part IV

If you want to answer those questions and send it to me, I think it may help benefit us. I already sent my responses to my Veteran Affairs Liaison.

[steelrain82]

thanks! thats an awesome place to start. the veterans group at my college just started up. it allows vets and non vets to join. but i think the vets get to decide on the issues that we want brought up. this will be a great thing for us to talk about. in my group there are 4 vets out of the 12 members. me and another guy were in fallujah. he got hit buy a frag and has his problems and i have mine. i think that here in this great state of California we have some good programs in place but they dont do good enough. if your a vet you get a fee waiver for community college which covers tuition. but after an AA where does that leave you. some vets cant get jobs do to disabilities so paying for further education is kind of hard. i think education at any public college should be free, for vets. or at least free for combat vets and half for non combat vets. i may be biased in this but i feel that with the problems combat vets have thet should get at least free education across the board. non combat vets dont have the problems that combat vets do. dont get me wrong i do thank them and appreciate their service that they give as they support the combat arms. or a war didnt happen. but i just see all my friends struggling in like or working jobs that barely pay or require them to work crappy hours.

[professionalcoyotehunter]

Why should we be treated differently? we are all soldiers and served whether a far or at home we still all served a service. PTSD can be cause on the home front as well as overseas depending on the situations that arose during your service. I am not saying that serving overseas is not harder I for one know serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait. I believe combat disabled vets should be treated differently but it will never happen other than the small health care benefits and small compensation we get every month there is really no difference between us and people with a GI bill and a state side injury that are service connected.

[steelrain82]

everywhere i go if you are unemployed dont make enough money there are tons of benefits for you. yes i understand we volunteered. but for some reason vets get the worst of everything. i held six jobs in to years. i know manny guys who have had more. im not saying PTSD is only a war thing but i think war vets have a different version of it. i look at it this way. a woman gets raped she has ptsd and its ok for her to feel that way. many women only get raped the one time. combat vets continuosly live in the horror that is war. its not like a cop or even a rape or car accident where the trauma or shoot out or accident ends and you go home get counciling. you fight evac your wounded or dead than continue on with your patrol or return to your fob,camp, whatever you want to call it. the the next day or a few hours later your back out on the hunt or being hunted. or standing post expecting the worst. its the constant life and death struggle. you dont go home and the event is over afterwards. i see retired vets get tons of benefits and even 100% permanent and total vets get benefits for there family. but in this state you get a few benefits and dome of those go to your kids. alot of these troops get out after there four years, and have nothing to fall back on. everyone they knew went to college or got jobs and been doing the same trash for years. now you they try to pull there life back together and all they have is a gi bill and problems from the war. so i do think they/ we should be treated differently. we have different needs than most normal citizens.

[professionalcoyotehunter]

everywhere i go if you are unemployed dont make enough money there are tons of benefits for you. yes i understand we volunteered. but for some reason vets get the worst of everything. i held six jobs in to years. i know manny guys who have had more. im not saying PTSD is only a war thing but i think war vets have a different version of it. i look at it this way. a woman gets raped she has ptsd and its ok for her to feel that way. many women only get raped the one time. combat vets continuosly live in the horror that is war. its not like a cop or even a rape or car accident where the trauma or shoot out or accident ends and you go home get counciling. you fight evac your wounded or dead than continue on with your patrol or return to your fob,camp, whatever you want to call it. the the next day or a few hours later your back out on the hunt or being hunted. or standing post expecting the worst. its the constant life and death struggle. you dont go home and the event is over afterwards. i see retired vets get tons of benefits and even 100% permanent and total vets get benefits for there family. but in this state you get a few benefits and dome of those go to your kids. alot of these troops get out after there four years, and have nothing to fall back on. everyone they knew went to college or got jobs and been doing the same trash for years. now you they try to pull there life back together and all they have is a gi bill and problems from the war. so i do think they/ we should be treated differently. we have different needs than most normal citizens.

The rape is not a good argument for comparison. The woman has to live in fear the rest of her life after having her life and soul ripped away from her by a selfish person. PTSD is all in the way each individual handles it. I seen too much gore and did too many bad things to take them back but I do not suffer from PTSD. I believe it made me a stronger individual and helped shape me the way I am today. you really need to look at all the benfits of veterans before you say there are hardly any. I understand it is dependent on what rating you have but there are all forms of help and assistance for vets.

[steelrain82]

Sometimes my mind goes to fast and I jumble things together. So let me see if I can clarify things. I don't mean to be insensitive to rape victims or to say that veterans don't have benefits. I do know we have lots of them. I personally think certain benefits need to be fixed or be given other benefits.
I mean that when a person is rapes we think ok they were raped they have lots of emotional issues. A cop is in a shoot out they have a long day of paperwork and than a few days off afterward. A soldier has to continually be in the action. So I think the exposure to events and the resulting problems are a lot worse. Now I understand some people just have no problems or very few afterwards. But not very many. I just feel that vets shouldn't have to go to the dentist and see students or 1st year residents. I don't think they should have to wait months or years. Education at the public level should be free, for combat vets and at half rate for non combat vets. I really do feel that way. I see so much wrong with the VA when I go and hear so many vets complaining or having to fight for things that should be a given. I hear so many people say oh well that's the part of the job. It is but these boys are expected to do stuff on behalf of the country, where most are fresh out of high school and trained to do ungodly things to others by can't get even an education that thy don't have to pay for. I think my main complaint is more for the state of Cali, but should be nationwide. We expect out young to gift and die and be normal afterward. I've met many older vets who have been in action and have had no problems their whole life. When they retire is when the problems start. But mainly I see alot of young vets working as security jobs at night because they can't sleep or in bars as bouncers. I think only a few have a good job. Some even return to the military so they can get there combat fix be aide they have to hard of a time out here.
The main purpose of this post is to hear what vets had complaints about or ideas they would like to throw out.

[Abesnake]

ive been thinking about this a lot. currently every program out their caters to all vets. but i joined a new vets group at college, and i noticed that they act as if all vets are the same. i feel that combat vets, are really different from regular vets who either didnt fight in combat, due to no war or just for whatever reason didnt fight. i know many people feel we shouldnt have different standards for one group than we do for another. but i feel like actual combat vets have real different needs and problems than non-combat vets. all the combat vets i know for the most part, either do poorly in school and drop out or have problems but takes them awhile to finish even there AA degree. i know because i am also one of these vets. its taken me six years of off and on school to be one class short of my AA. so i would like to get some ideas of what sort of things you guys would think should be different. i would like to write a letter that i can send to all sorts of political people to maybe get something going.

I can't read anymore of the crap you are having to put up with right here on this thread! I served during VN and when our group came home we were spit on by some people, so I don't talk much about this. I don't care what people say about the military (and you are different), because the fact is we don't have a draft right now and yet YOU STEPPED FORWARD! There is nothing Politically Correct or Morally Relative about serving. It's simply an act of love for our country. As far as I'm concerned anybody who winds up a COMBAT VET and comes home alive SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO PAY INCOME TAX FOR AS LONG AS HE OR SHE LIVES!!! Small payment.

[todd2968]

Ever heard of the VFW they only take people that were in theatre for membership