Military Culture & Curriculum Planning Meeting November 8,
2010 Dr. Bruce Brunson Defining the Role of Faculty in Interacting
with Military
Slide 2
The transition into the military was not an overnight process.
Colleges should not expect the transition from the military to the
classroom to be any quicker.
Slide 3
Who is in your classroom or online? Active Duty Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard National Guard Reserves from
all services Spouses Dependents Veterans From All Services Spouses
Dependents
Slide 4
General Understanding of Military Students Military terms,
acronyms, jargon Ranks Each students situation Reasons why they may
require something extra time to complete an assignment, for example
Shortage of time Need for flexibility
Slide 5
Population Qualifying for Veteran Education Benefits 2,142,719
Deployed since 9/11 as of June 2010 1,532,980 Active Duty 609,739
Guard/Reserve 260,610 Currently Deployed CTS Deployment File June
10 -Provided by SERV.ORG- Greatest influx of combat veterans in
last 40 years; will continue to increase in coming years.
Slide 6
Military Demographics 6 Infantry/Seamanship Electronic Repair
Commun./Intelligence Health Care Other Tech./Allied Func.
Support/Admin Elec./Mech. Repair Craftsmen Svc and Supply Handlers
General Off./Exec. Tactical Ops. Officer Intelligence Officer
Eng./Main. Officer Scient./Professionals Health Care Officer
Administrators Supply/Procurement Off. Primary Occupations Deployed
MARITAL/GENDER % Single Male 42.7 Single Female 6.2 Married
Male47.1 Married Female4.0 AGE Active Reserve 46.5% ---- 25 or
Younger ---- 32.8% 19.7% ---- 26-30 Years Old ---- 14.3% 13.8% ----
31-35 Years Old ---- 12.6% 11.3% ---- 36-40 Years Old ---- 15.0%
8.7% ---- 41 or Older ---- 25.3% AGE Active Reserve 46.5% ---- 25
or Younger ---- 32.8% 19.7% ---- 26-30 Years Old ---- 14.3% 13.8%
---- 31-35 Years Old ---- 12.6% 11.3% ---- 36-40 Years Old ----
15.0% 8.7% ---- 41 or Older ---- 25.3% Carolyn L. Baker, Chief
Continuing Education Programs, CCME 2010
Slide 7
7 55% of the Force is married 40% of the children are under 5
32% 6-11 years old 25% 12-18 years oldFamilies Married Service
Members Deployed Men 47% Females 4% Carolyn L. Baker, Chief
Continuing Education Programs, CCME 2010
Slide 8
8 PB2009 Voluntary Education Programs: $800M (Tuition
Assistance and Operational Costs) Education Sites World Wide: 350
to include Iraq and Afghanistan In FY09 657,715 Individuals
Participated in Vol Ed Programs 376,759 Troops Enrolled in
Postsecondary Courses 44,160 Troops Degrees from College 2,017
Certification / Licensures Awarded Voluntary Education DoD Vision
Life-Long Learning for the DoD Adult Family Members Carolyn L.
Baker, Chief Continuing Education Programs, CCME 2010
Characteristics of Students Excellent candidates for college
recruitment/retention Serious, motivated, goal-oriented Focused on
career goalsand for many, earning a degree IS the pathway toward
those goals Have money and educational benefits for college
Slide 12
Characteristics of Students Adult Students Mature and motivated
to complete goals may have different priorities than 18-20 year old
peers Have been in disciplined job environment responsible
individuals with proven work ethic Possess leadership skills
Slide 13
What unique challenges must this group overcome? Heightened
sensory awareness of sights, sounds & smells. Identification
and closeness with their military unit Regimentation into highly
structured and efficient routines. Reconnecting with friends more
difficult than expected. Difficulties arise in trying to generate a
new normal
Slide 14
What unique challenges must this group overcome ? Life at
home/work/school may not have the edge and adrenaline associated
with wartime duty Higher substance abuse rates than general
population Higher Divorce Rates than general population Significant
rate of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Depression
Slide 15
SERV Proprietary and Confidential Degree Obstacles - Military
vs. Civilian Veteran Economic Tuition Covered by Tuition Assistance
or GI Bill Transition Military to civilian War Zone to Campus
Freshmen Age Difference 24yr old vet vs. 18yr old Career Goals Vets
more Mature Less likely to change majors Civilian Economic Tuition
Costs Part-time job Scholarships Student Loans Parents Transition
High School to College Career Goals Change 18yr olds change majors
Bernadette Gray-Little, Dean College of A & S, UNC, May 2006
http://www.unc.edu/depts/trustees/Time%20to%20Degree.pdf
Slide 16
Transition to College Three Key Areas Freshmen Age Difference:
24 year-old or older active duty or veterans .vs. 18 year-old
general student population Disciplined lifestyle .vs. socially
acceptable standards among students War Zone to Campus
Slide 17
First Day Class or Online First Days as new student: Dont know
where to go for information, who to talk to Registration not as
efficient or intuitive as what they are accustomed to in the
military and no one is telling them what to do next
Classes/Curriculum Reluctant to volunteer that they are a Veteran
(not sure if instructor, advisor, or other students will react
negatively) Reluctant to admit they lack confidence in the course
or are struggling
Slide 18
First Day Class or Online Re-Connecting with other veterans
Civilians do not know what they have experienced Some miss the
camaraderie Feel that only other veterans understand their
situation or struggles Servicemembers are trained to complete
missions and are not quitters. If they can make it through the
challenges of the first semester, they succeed.
Slide 19
Transition Success Military and Veteran Only Classes
Comfortable learning environment Traditional classroom environment
creates distractions Attention span is low and anxiety of an
unfamiliar setting Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) A
classroom of peers that entails trust among men and women with
shared experiences will create a comfortable learning
environment.
Slide 20
Transition Success Military and Veteran Only Classes First
semester veteran only classes, Second semester half veteran, half
mixed General education classes for all majors: English 1301, Math
1301, etc. Study hours/ group therapy sessions similar to athletes
and fraternities
Slide 21
Student Success Enter students info into a military database
Need for stats for reporting To Push them support and changes in
benefits Assign veteran mentor Military advisors Priority
registration/ Tuition Assistance/ VA Benefits /Financial Aid
Expedited application process/ flexible enrollment deadlines
Slide 22
Military & Veterans Organization Form on Campus Form in
Distance Learning Environment Support from: Advisor - Military
Veteran or Spouse Faculty Mentors -Veteran or Spouse ROTC Student
Mentors Active Duty going full time on campus
Slide 23
Academic Support Are course mentors aware of which students in
their class are military or veterans? Do course mentors receive any
additional training regarding challenges and strategies for
overcoming challenges? Do military and veteran have the ability to
identify other students who are veterans in their class? Is there a
mechanism for military and veterans to identify themselves to
course mentors?
Slide 24
SERV Proprietary and Confidential Number 1 Reason for Low
Success Rate Inability to concentrate when taking exams Environment
(classroom) distractions very high Concentration on questions very
low Exam scores are low-Grades drop- Drops out To improve
concentration on exams study shows: Minimize environmental
distractions Remove civilians from the environment Guardian mode
drops-Vets feel more comfortable Memory/recall
improves-Scores/Confidence Improves 6 months of discussions with
Vietnam-Persian Gulf veterans Jan-June 2007- Cleveland VA Stress
Recovery Ctr, Ken Prabucki, Holly Hirsel, counselors/directors
Slide 25
Military Friendly College or University? Yellow Ribbon
Institution tuition rates Members of Servicemembers Opportunity
Colleges Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Army (SOCAD
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Navy (SOCNAV) Servicemembers
Opportunity Colleges Marines (SOCMAR) Servicemembers Opportunity
Colleges Coast Guard (SOCCOAST)
Slide 26
Military Friendly College or University? Award American Council
on Education credit for military specialties (MOS/Rating/AFS)
education and training Accept standardized tests from: College
Level Examination Program (CLEP) Defense Activity for
Non-Traditional Education Support DANTES ____ Standardized Tests
College Board Advanced Placement Program Graduate Record
Examinations Defense Language Aptitude Battery Defense Language
Proficiency Tests
Slide 27
Why More Spouses & Dependents? Transfer of Post-9/11 GI
Bill Benefits to Dependents GI Bill can transfer education
entitlement to: Spouse. One or more of the children. Any
combination of spouse and child May transfer up to the total months
of unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, or the entire 36 months if
the member
Slide 28
Why More Spouses? Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts
(MyCAA) Limited to $4,000 maximum benefit with a $2,000 fiscal year
cap Must finish their program of study within 3 years from the
start date of the first course. Funding is limited to: Associates
degrees, certifications and licensure programs.
Slide 29
Why More Spouses? Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts
(MyCAA) Spouse of an: active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine
service member, or activated Reserve member pay grades enlisted -
E1-E5; warrant officer -W1-W2, or officer - O1-O2. National Guard
and/or Air Guard On federal Title 10 active duty orders Guard or
Reserve in an Alert, Transition Assistance, or Post Deployment
status are not eligible.
Slide 30
VA Resources for Educators GI Bill Website:
http://www.gibill.va.govhttp://www.gibill.va.gov/ Counseling
Veteran Students: http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/College/
http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/College/ Behavioral Health
Assistance: http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/index.asp
http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/index.asp
Slide 31
STUDENT VETERANS OF AMERICA
http://www.studentveterans.org/about /