WOUNDED WARRIORS STEM THINK TANK March 22-23, 2012 Summary Report

Transcription

1 WOUNDED WARRIORS STEM THINK TANK March 22-23, 2012 Summary Report Navigating the transition from military to civilian life; challenges and opportunities for pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education and careers Sponsored by the Pacific Alliance for Supporting Individuals with Disabilities Partnership & EmployAble: World Without Barriers Projects Hosted by The Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa 1

2 Printed in the United States of America First Printing, 2012 Wounded Warriors STEM Think Tank was held March 23-24, 2012 in Honolulu, Hawai`i. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. HRD # Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. 2

3 Executive Summary On March 23-24, 2012 the Center on Disability Studies (CDS) at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa hosted the Wounded Warrior STEM Think Tank on O`ahu, Hawai`i. The two-part 1½ day event was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as a supplement to the Pacific Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Partnership (Pacific Alliance) project. Over 100 individuals gathered together including Wounded Warriors, leaders from STEM industries, higher education faculty, Wounded Warriors currently enrolled in higher education institutions, veteran programs, as well as disability experts, researchers, and policy makers. Aligned with the goal of the Pacific Alliance, which is to increase the numbers of individuals with disabilities in STEM postsecondary education programs and ultimately the STEM workforce in Hawai`i, the Think Tank focused on identifying needs to support transition into STEM postsecondary education and careers for veterans in Hawai`i and other Pacific islands. Background Despite overrepresentation of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander in most branches of the U.S. Armed services, all available data indicate limited knowledge of issues concerning Pacific Islander combat veterans transition from military to civilian life, including factors affecting the transition to postsecondary education and employment in STEM fields. The Two-Part Event Modeling after the NSF-supported Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank hosted by University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute on Human Development and School of Computing and Engineering (KC-BANCS) in July 2011, the Pacific Alliance Think Tank event included an afternoon site visit, panel discussions, national and local keynote speakers, and breakout sessions built on the three themes: transition from the military; college recruitment and retention; and STEM careers. The goals of the Think Tank were to (1) identify and contact returning Wounded Warriors in Hawai`i who might express an interest in STEM career tracks; and (2) examine the needs of returning combat veterans with disabilities who show an interest in pursuing a STEM career and assess the services currently available to support them. Outcomes There was consensus that challenges and obstacles existed for Wounded Warriors in Hawai`i and other Pacific Islands transitioning into STEM postsecondary education and careers. Some needs identified included: Need to gather resources and establish a one-stop-support service such as a Veterans Resource Center on University of Hawai`i system campuses Need to provide support through peer mentoring, identification of veteran faculty, and a cohort model through college highlighting both the military and local cultural learning styles Need to understand veteran strengths and transfer of skills Need more opportunity for a talk story, a regular gathering of network of people, institutions, and services Need to connect with local Veterans Affairs and with bases around the Pacific Islands Need for a veteran s court in Hawai`i For more information, please visit: 3

4 Table of Contents Acknowledgements... 5 Section I: Background & Context... 6 Section II: Organization & Conduct of the Event... 7 The Conceptual Model... 7 Goals and Outcomes... 7 Participants... 8 Part I. The Site Visit... 8 Part II. The Think Tank Section III: Output of the Event One: Transition Military to Civilian life & College (STEM) Two: College Access, Retention, Completion Three: STEM Workforce Section IV: Recommendations Transition College Employment Section V: Next Steps Transition College Promote STEM Employment STEM Conclusion Appendices Appendix 1: Detailed Agenda Appendix 2: Panelist and Speaker Bios Appendix 3: Participant List Appendix 4: Guiding Questions Appendix 5: Surveys Appendix 6: Evaluation Survey Data Analysis Report Appendix 7: List of Resources

5 Acknowledgements Please acknowledge the following groups and individuals who made the two-part Wounded Warrior STEM Think Tank event a success with over a 100 participants. Katherine Li, for organizing and coordinating the event. The Pacific Alliance Project Team Members Robert Stodden, Kelly Roberts, Kiriko Takahashi, Steve Brown, Hye Jin Park, Kay Gushiken, Jenna Komatsu, and Emily Calimpong, for initiating, assisting with organizing and running the event. The Center on Disability Studies at University of Hawai`i Mānoa, for hosting the event. The National Science Foundation, Research in Disabilities Education, for providing the supplemental funding for the Wounded Warrior STEM Think Tank. Kristina Goetz, and Susan Mrazek, for taking notes during the event and assisting with facilitating small group discussion. Hank Cashen, for providing information and conducting the tour of the Warrior Transition Units on O`ahu, Hawai`i. The CDS Media Center, Tom Conway and William Rems, for setting up AV equipment, filming, creating and printing promotional materials, and setting up website. EmployAble, funded by the Kessler Foundation, for their support. University of Hawai`i Mānoa Student Affairs, for their support. All participants, for attending, sharing and contributing to the goals of the STEM Think Tank. The Hawai`i and the Pacific Islands Wounded Warriors, for their valuable talk stories. National and local panelists and speakers, for their insightful comments and discussion points. 5

6 Section I: Background & Context Importantly, with the return of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than one million service members will have the choice of using their Post-911 GI Bill benefits to pursue a college education. Many of these veterans may have serviceconnected disabilities, which require that postsecondary institutions be able to support and accommodate these men and women. Besides physical injuries, upward of 200,000 Wounded Warriors might be suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), whilst Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) is another invisible injury that could affect up to 30% of service members and veterans. Returning combat veterans with disabilities, including those of minority cultural status, are significantly underrepresented in STEM fields, both in postsecondary education and in employment. The lack of data on the current status of returning combat veterans access, retention, and completion in STEM fields in postsecondary education, or on the effectiveness of postsecondary services for returning combat veterans is a problem of critical significance in the U.S. Associated Pacific Region. The U.S. Associated Pacific Region is defined here as including Hawai`i, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. Statistics indicate that on a per capita basis, Pacific Islanders from this region are overrepresented in most branches of the U.S. Armed Services. Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders make up a small percentage of the diverse forces involved in the Global War on Terrorism; however, the U.S. Associated Pacific Region is proportionally overrepresented in the armed forces. Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders were overrepresented by 649 percent compared to the general population, making them the most overrepresented of any group (Kane, 2006). Despite overrepresentation of Pacific Islanders in the armed forces and high correlations between combat experience and mental health or social adjustment problems, all available data indicate limited knowledge of issues concerning Pacific Islander combat veterans transition from military to civilian life, including factors affecting the transition to postsecondary education and employment in STEM fields. Pacific Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities in STEM Partnership (Pacific Alliance) project, which is funded by the NSF to increase number of individuals with disabilities (IWD) in STEM postsecondary education programs and ultimately the STEM workforce in Hawai`i has been actively recruiting returning combat veterans with disabilities into postsecondary education in pursuit of STEM field degrees, and have been working with Student Service and Veterans Services Offices within the University of Hawai`i system to identify and address the needs of returning combat veterans. However, these efforts have led to an understanding that little focus or support is given to returning combat veterans and little is known about how to best reach them, what supports they need, or what other services and supports are available to assist them in accessing and completing postsecondary education in STEM fields. The Wounded Warrior STEM Think Tank event was therefore organized as a way to better understand how to facilitate the transition process from military to civilian life by creating a bridge through postsecondary education particularly in STEM fields so that Wounded Warriors have the opportunity to build on the 6

7 foundation of STEM related skills learned while in the military. Section II: Organization & Conduct of the Event The Wounded Warrior STEM Think Tank took place on March 23-24, 2012 as a twopart event on O`ahu, Hawai`i. The event was patterned on Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank, a larger NSFsupported event hosted by University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute on Human Development and School of Computing and Engineering (KC-BANCS), which took place on July 27-28, The Conceptual Model The following Conceptual Model illustrates the flow of the Hawai`i Wounded Warrior STEM Think Tank. Purpose/Problem Advanced Organization of Topics to Address Problem Speakers & Panelists Discussions Outputs Recommendations The two-part event included (1) an afternoon site visit to the Warrior Transition Battalion in Schofield Barracks on O`ahu, Hawai`i; and (2) a whole-day discussion and conversations by speakers and participants surrounding the three major themes: transition, college, and employment. Goals and Outcomes The goals of the Think Tank were to: 1. Identify and contact returning Wounded Warriors in Hawai`i who might express an interest in STEM career tracks. 2. Examine the needs of returning combat veterans with disabilities who show an interest in pursuing a STEM career and assess the services currently available to support them. Outcomes of the Think Tank included: 1. Identification of a minimum of 20 Wounded Warriors in Hawai`i and the Pacific Region who are possible recruits under the Pacific Alliance objectives and activities. 2. Development of a set of recommendations to guide Think Tank participants in supporting returning combat veterans who wish to enter and succeed in STEM degree programs and employment. The recommendations will be useful to Pacific Alliance staff, veterans service providers, higher education STEM faculty, disability service providers, and other NSF project personnel. 3. Development of a Plan to Action for Pacific Alliance personnel which identifies agencies and persons responsible for accomplishing the next steps towards working with participants to increase the access, retention, and completion of postsecondary education training and employment in STEM fields by our combat veterans. 7

8 Participants The selection of attendees was purposeful and the choice of the organizer of the event was critical to its success. Dr. Katherine Li was chosen for this role. Dr. Li had just finished her dissertation on the topic of the preparedness of the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa to support combat veterans as they pursued their higher education. She spoke with a wide range of people on the campus and in the community. Informed by her findings and utilizing her network, she was able to connect with the most suitable participants. The representation of Native Hawaiians, locals, and Pacific Islanders, was critical. While not everyone was able to attend, key people from the community were invited. (Pictured) The WTB s mission is to support active duty soldiers who have been wounded in combat and help them return to duty if they are able. However, some Wounded Warriors in the WTB will separate from the military or be medically retired. For those cases, there is an education officer on hand to provide guidance should the service member decide to use their educational benefits to go to college. Hank Cashen, Director of the Soldier Family Assistance Center (SFAC) gave a briefing to the visiting group. (Pictured) Part I. The Site Visit Seven participants visited the Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) in Schofield Barracks on O`ahu, Hawai`i to understand the local context of how transition takes place for Wounded Warriors (pictured). From the briefing, the participants learned that the establishment of Warrior Transition Units (WTUs) was a response to the February 18, 2007 Washington Post report on alleged negligence at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Washington Post investigation uncovered substandard facilities, minimal supervision, limited family support, poor conditions across the continuum of physical and mental healthcare, and limited feedback for the care of 4,400 soldiers receiving outpatient services. Subsequently, 29 Warrior Transition Units and 9 community-based WTUs were established to provide care for 9,904 soldiers. These are now considered to be the best facilities in terms of military leadership and structure, centralized family support, synchronization and coordination of 8

9 physical and mental healthcare, with multiple feedback mechanisms in place. The Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) mission statement is to, Provide command and control, primary care, case management and comprehensive health, welfare and safety for soldier warriors, staff, and their families. Ensure the highest quality of care, enforcing standards to be successful in their transition back to the force or their future as a proud veteran. (Pictured) The WTB is set up like a One-Stop Shop and its services include a myriad of programs such as: information, referral and follow-up; financial counseling; military personnel and benefits; Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP); Army Continued Education Services (ACES); Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP); Social Services; Outreach Coordination; Child and Youth Service Liaison; Veteran s Administration (VA) Operation Enduring Freedom/ Operation Iraqi Freedom program (OEF/OIF) /VA Benefits representative; Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Service Officer; and WTB groups. Soldier and Family Assistance Center (SFAC) achievements include selection for the 2011 Veterans Small Business Champion of the Year Award for Hawai`i and Region IX (California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawai`i) by the U.S. Small Business Administration. It was also cited as the Best SFAC in the Army by Warrior Transition Command Organizational Inspection Program (WTP-OIP) Team in November 2011, and it was a participant in TCARE pilot study (1 in 6 SFAC s Armywide). SFAC initiatives include: monthly Small Business Seminars with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) representatives; job fairs; transition prep program for warriors transitioning; Discover Educational Assessment Tool; college fairs; Troops to Teachers program; and aftercare follow-up program. In keeping with the purpose of the Think Tank, on the second day of the event panelists, keynote speakers, and participants were asked to identify the obstacles, key transition points and issues, and pathways to STEM fields through higher education. Further, it was intended that participants identify ways of creating pathways that would build on veterans experience and training to support degree attainment, particularly with an emphasis on STEM. Employment in STEM fields for Wounded Warriors was discussed in the afternoon breakout sessions. (Pictured) In order to understand the transition process from military to civilian, a panel of veterans who had made the transition was invited to share their perspectives on these issues as well as their own personal and professional experiences. 9

10 Part II. The Think Tank The main Think Tank event took place on March 24, 2012 from 8 am to 5 pm at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu, Hawai`i (see Agenda in Appendix 1). The event included panel discussions, national and local keynote speakers, and breakout sessions built on the three themes of the day: transition from the military; college recruitment and retention; and STEM careers. It was intended that participants identify ways of creating pathways that would build on veterans experience and training to support degree attainment, particularly with an emphasis on STEM. Guiding questions were borrowed from the KC-BANCS Transition STEM (see Appendix 4). Opening Pule (prayer) was conducted by Kahu Kaleo Patterson followed by the presentation of the colors by Hickam Honor Guard. In order to understand the transition process from military to civilian, a panel of veterans who had made the transition was invited to share their perspectives on these issues as well as their own personal and professional experiences. Keynote speaker Urban Miyares is an example of a resilient, multi-disabled Vietnam Veteran who was able to overcome his disabilities and adapt to life after combat; he has thrived in spite of his many challenges. (Pictured) Miyares s story was particularly inspiring to the other service members, veterans, and their families. It also helped clarify what the obstacles are for veterans. The lunch speaker was Jimmy Enocencio, a Vietnam Veteran and Executive Director of Kalalau: Rediscovering the Ahupua'a Life System, Haola, Inc. (Pictured) Jimmy Enocencio spoke about the value of having returning veterans work on the land to both heal and learn STEM skills, as a way to better understand supports and strategies already successfully in place in other institutions of higher learning. After lunch, keynote speaker Dr. John Schupp spoke about a program he developed to support veterans at Cleveland State University. (Pictured) He described the efficacy of having veterans go through college as a cohort for at least the first year. He claimed that the camaraderie of the student veterans, along with assistance relearning study skills, helped them with the transition. Dr. Schupp reiterated that the first year, especially the first semester, was a 10

11 critical period for the success of student veterans. He shared several highly effective strategies that college administrators can take to ensure high retention and graduation rates for them including letting them take courses like Psychology, Sociology, and Communications during the first semester and Math and English later. To understand what supports are currently in place in the larger community, the afternoon panel session was comprised of service providers (e.g., psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers) who support veterans during the transition process. (Pictured) Dr. David Brown, an expert on suicide prevention, gave a workshop that was useful in helping everyone better understand how the transition from the culture of the military to civilian life could be challenging for many. Throughout the day, members from the business community also shared their point of view, allowing for a wide view and holistic approach as the action plan was developed. (Pictured) Section III: Output of the Event Three themes were addressed during the Think Tank: transition, college, and employment. Guiding questions were borrowed from the Kansas City Building an Alliance for New Careers in STEM project at the Institute for Human Development and School of Computing and Engineering (see Appendix 4). One: Transition Military to Civilian life & College (STEM) Within the theme of transition, participants were asked to comment on the perceived challenges and opportunities during transition from the military into STEM education and careers. In exploring the readiness and timeliness of transition points when Wounded Warriors were most receptive, here are some points generated during the Think Tank discussions. The two most sited programs offered by the military were the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program. The following description comes from the TAP website (see Appendix 6). The Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program was developed to assist 11

12 in the transitioning of military personnel and family members leaving the service. Returning to civilian life is an exciting time, but is also a complex undertaking. There are many steps to take, with questions to be answered. The DoD Transition Assistance Program is here to help. TAP services are provided on major military installations by Transition Assistance Offices. For Army installations, services are provided by ACAP Centers. On Navy and Marine Corp installations, the transition assistance office is typically located at the Family Support Service Center. Air Force TAP services are provided through the Airmen and Family Readiness Flight centers. Coast Guard TAP services are offered through the Work-Life offices. The following is a description taken from the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program website (see Appendix 6). The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program is a DoD-wide effort to promote the well being of National Guard and Reserve members, their families and communities, by connecting them with resources throughout the deployment cycle. Through Yellow Ribbon events, service members and loved ones connect with local resources before, during, and after deployments. Reintegration during post-deployment is a critical time for members of the Guard and Reserve, as they often live far from military installations and members of their units. Commanders and leaders play a critical role in assuring that Reserve service members and their families attend Yellow Ribbon events where they can access information on health care, education/training opportunities, financial, and legal benefits. We work in conjunction with federal partners, including the Small Business Administration and Departments of Labor and Veterans Affairs, to provide upto-date and relevant information to the members of the all-volunteer force and their families. Several participants pointed out that there are many service members already taking college courses, and expressed concern about academic advising because they may not know which courses to take on a degree path. Another perceived obstacle was Post- Traumatic Stress (PTS), which was a central point of discussion throughout the day. Many agreed that getting the service member diagnosed was important, so they could get treatment and move on in their life. However, several participants expressed concern that there were currently fewer accommodations for Wounded Warriors with PTS than for those with physical disabilities. Another concern that more than one participant had was the issue of terminology. Some thought that the word wounded might be the cause for stigmatization. It was therefore suggested that there should be a differentiation between the Wounded Warrior and the Warrior In Transition. Urban Miyares described what he called, the BIG GAP between being in the service and civilian life. He emphasized the tendency of soldiers to think they could take on more than they actually can (i.e., sign up for too many credit hours), because they were trained to believe that they could do anything. This is in line with Dr. Brown s discussion about the culture of the military from which service members are transitioning. Dr. Brown brought up the following during his workshop: veterans need special settings and support because they are accustomed to a structured environment in the military and find the transition challenging. In particular, Wounded Warriors often experience an identity crisis in terms of whether they 12

13 belong or whether they are a burden. Additionally, veterans who are awaiting a service-connected rating are not eligible for vocational rehabilitation services. Moreover, the rating may take up to one year from time of submission. The training that service members receive while they are in the military is classified as Military Occupation Specialty (MOS). There is a concern that the MOS might not equate to a readiness for a four-year college STEM program. It might mean that their MOS equates to the equivalent of an Associate s Degree. Finally, Dr. Brown and several others were optimistic that many Wounded Warriors would experience Post Traumatic Growth, or a renewed appreciation for life as a result of surviving combat. Therefore, a supportive environment that included psycho-social support was encouraged. Two: College Access, Retention, Completion The second theme of the Think Tank had to do with issues and challenges related to Wounded Warriors navigating college, academic success, retention, and degree attainment. Robust discussions took place and included suggestions for strategies for those working in higher education to support Wounded Warriors who want careers in STEM. The following issues/obstacles were identified. First, there seems to be a disconnect between the funding to pay for tuition and soldiers readiness. It was recommended that soldiers do not take STEM courses or a heavy load their first year, but the reality is that the GI Bill will only pay for required courses (typically reading/math) in the first year for STEM programs. Another concern expressed had to do with the fact that University of Hawai`i only offers Yellow Ribbon Scholarships for Master s level students, not for undergraduates. Concerning buying books, frequently money for books (under the GI Bill) is not received prior to beginning a semester. This means veterans begin class without textbooks. It was also noted that spending time searching the library and asking instructors for spare books often does not resolve the problem; it only seems to place the veteran further behind. A subtopic of the theme of college was looking at how public and private institutions could increase recruitment and visibility in military communities. Because it seemed that tutoring on campus was not available for all classes, the following resources available in the community were recommended: o Veterans Business Outreach Center o University Resources Veterans Office (if there is one on campus) o Veterans Affairs Office o Department of Labor o Soldier & Family Assistance Center o Veteran s Center o Mentor/Mentee Programs Building on this from the perspective of the academy, Dr. John Schupp found strategies that worked to support veterans as they transitioned into postsecondary education. He found that involving parents (especially mothers), who worried about their sons and daughters while they were in the military, was helpful. Parents were motivated to push to get their veteran sons and daughters back into school and to use the educational benefits for which many of them enlisted. Dr. Schupp also suggested connecting to family support groups and advertising in church bulletins as a way for colleges to reach out to the community and recruit student veterans. He also suggested outreach by way of: 13

14 o Approved base visitations, which might level the playing field for ALL schools. o Word of mouth by other veterans. o Universities should have good, military friendly student services. o Use of veteran professors as spokespersons because of their trust with student veterans. Dr. Schupp reiterated that veteran college freshmen are significantly older than the typical freshmen and educational institutions should be cognizant about how that might affect the transition. He thought that it could even impact STEM career choice, because he felt that student-veterans military experience provided an advantage for STEM. During the panel discussion with service providers, there was an emphasis on the need to provide a sense of hope and a sense of success to veterans. Their discussions included a conversation about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). It was advised that soldiers with TBI needed a break after 7 minutes of lecture, because they have difficulty absorbing material after that. It is also important that faculty explicitly define concepts like the definition of participation. This led to many people agreeing that the faculty should be traumainformed. It would be good for faculty to understand Wounded Warriors often have trouble with crowds and prefer smaller settings where they feel comfortable and safe. It was also pointed out that it was important to engage both the right and left sides of the brain, so instructors should cater to different learning styles. Hence, instructors should give different options to gain credit. Ultimately, instructors should be flexible and open to different learning styles. Three: STEM Workforce The third theme of the Think Tank surrounded issues of employment for Wounded Warriors, especially careers in STEM fields. Participants explored what information and support was needed to assist Wounded Warriors in the transition from college to career. During the breakout sessions, group members brainstormed beyond the attainment of a STEM degree and looked to becoming employed a STEM field. It was thought that the University of Hawai`i could set up a STEM pilot program and develop a successful model for recruiting veteran students into STEM degrees. One important discussion point arose about whether or not the social sciences could be considered to be a part of STEM. Many agreed veterans were more likely to pursue degrees in Psychology, Social Work, and other Social Sciences. It was thought that a network could be created for STEM-specific initiatives, which could include the creation of a STEM website with a recognizable symbol next to veteran professors listings in STEM classes. The most important point from the discussion about STEM employment was the need to bridge out to the business community and companies in STEM. As part of the employment theme, a workshop was provided by representatives of EmployAble, a recent initiative of the Center on Disability Studies upon receipt of a grant from the Kessler Foundation to develop a virtual employment support center. To uncover veterans opinions, a survey questionnaire was distributed to the Think Tank participants for their feedback on five areas of employment in STEM fields: perceived barriers, skills needed, existing skills, workplace supports, and student veterans use of technology. 14

15 The results of the survey provided a starting place on which to build. Following are the most common responses under each category. Under Barriers to Employment : o Stigma of disability and of veterans o Coping with effects of trauma o Understanding veteran strengths and transfer of skills o Employer connections and incentives Under Skills Needed : o Communication o Civilian social/people skills o Emotional management o Adaptation to civilian life Under Existing Skills : o Discipline o Commitment o Leadership o Teamwork o Timeliness Under Workplace Supports : o Mentoring o Flexibility of schedule o Control over work environment o Disability-related accommodations Under Use of Technology : o Facebook o Smartphone o Gaming o Twitter The biggest outcome of the Think Tank event was a broad interest from the participants to create a network of people, institutions, and services in order to coordinate efforts toward supporting Wounded Warriors as they transition from the military into college and eventually employment. There was consensus that challenges and obstacles existed for Wounded Warriors interested in going into STEM postsecondary education, and the participants had many suggestions about how to meet those challenges. Since the Think Tank, Dr. John Schupp has already furthered the goal of tying together STEM opportunities and our nation's veterans. He proposed a schedule of at least two webinars on the topic this summer and fall to the webinar developers at Innovative Educators. Innovative Educator webinars usually have schools attend these webinars and are effective methods of dissemination. Another immediate outcome of the Think Tank was representatives from the Pacific Alliance met with representatives from the Military/Veterans Center at Hawai`i Pacific University (HPU) in order to create a Community of Practice at HPU. This Community of Practice, in collaboration with University of Hawai`i, will work with the Wounded Warriors on the HPU campus who are interested in STEM education. Finally, EmployAble representatives from the Center on Disability Studies (CDS) at the University of Hawai`i have become committee members on the advisory council for service members and veterans at University of Hawai`i. There they will pursue the goal of supporting student veteran initiatives in the University. Section IV: Recommendations It is apparent that there is a tremendous interest in building on the momentum that was generated during the Wounded Warrior Stem Think Thank. The Pacific Alliance should take a leadership role in implementing the ideas and suggestions generated during the Think Tank and serve 15

16 as a nexus for whatever happens next. Due to the cultural overlay of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, and thanks to the creation of a safe space, story sharing became a powerful method for the Think Tank. It was encouraged that more opportunities should be created for this to continue and build. Before going through the recommendations thematically, this section begins with a general recommendation to take the top three to five concerns of each section (recruitment, retention, etc.) and set up committees on each topic. Also, a grant writing committee should be established to carry out the next steps, which will be discussed in the last section of this summary. Transition During the Q&A session, several important topics were brought up and discussed. One participant noted that there were 47,000 service members listed as wounded, not including those with mental health issues, and stressed that the needs of Transitioning Warriors and Wounded Warriors are totally different. It was suggested that there should be services geared toward these different groups specifically. The Wounded Marine Project chaplain explained that Wounded Warriors were required to be involved in an educational program, an internship, as well as maintain their medical and physical therapy appointments. As veterans are involved with these programs for approximately 18 to 24 months, he suggested looking for people in the community to be transition mentors who could spend time and discuss how they worked through their successful transition. Charlie Ota, who works with Chamber of Commerce, reiterated this point. He explained that the most helpful way to help veterans was to have a veteran who had already made the transition successfully mentor those in transition. Many of the participants agreed that after being released from military service, many soldiers do not know what they want or who they are outside of the military ranking system. These soldiers could use this kind of mentorship. Other participants suggested meeting with the Hawai`i chapters of national veterans organizations (e.g., Association of the US Army, Air Force Association, Navy League, etc.) and have each establish a Mentors for Veterans Programs as part of their charter. This would serve to assist in identifying mentors for veterans programs. It was thought that this could also include others such as the Small Business Administration that could help in locating successful businesses operated by veterans. Also, because they cannot immediately envision a job equivalent in the civilian world, it was suggested that there should be more vocational aptitude testing and training opportunities for military personnel transitioning out of service. It is currently necessary to qualify for a certain level of disability to gain access to this type of aptitude testing and counseling. From his point of view, Judge McKinney stressed that it was important for veterans to understand the details of their benefits. He suggested that veterans educate themselves about the law, and when they had questions to reach out to people like him to ask questions and get informed. He felt that it was important for veterans to know the law, especially because civilian law is different from the military tribunal system. Finally, because it s difficult to treat women who have been sexually assaulted, a program specifically for women was recommended. 16

17 College Participants again suggested that universities and colleges should have mentorship programs, buddy programs or groups to take former military members around and acquaint them with the campus, available programs, application process, etc. If the campus does not already have a Veterans Resource Center (VRC), one should be established. Another recommendation was that the definition of STEM should be expanded. More importantly, there is a need for a common definition of STEM. As was mentioned earlier, an aptitude and vocational assessment within STEM field should be developed, which could include real world experience. Otherwise, it would incentivize potential STEM students to have a list of jobs and labor rates available. Some other suggestions for possible next steps included support for first days of starting classes, which might alleviate the anxiety and reduce stress in the transition from highly structured environments to less structured ones. An example of this difference was cited by Dr. Schupp and reiterated by Dr. Brown, when they described a military briefing compared to a college lecture. Briefings hold critical information relevant to life and death situations, lectures by comparison, are seen as vague and abstract. It should be remembered that soldiers are mission-oriented, so a cohort system might work better for veterans. In addition, a cohort type of support has been successful in other programs focused on Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders as culturally, these students tend to be more collectivistic. The cohort should take place from the first year as it is critical for the soldier in transition to establish this rapport as a college student. Dr. Schupp said, Given the right environment, the veteran will complete the mission. He suggested giving them a tour of the school campus as a way to introduce the service member to higher education. He was emphatic in suggesting not giving reading or math courses during the first year. He suggested instead that the veterans take Sociology, Communications, and Psychology courses. This, he said, would help ensure that they went into the second year with a high GPA while also having had the chance to transition and brush up on basic study skills. Other suggestions to support the student during transition for veterans included: o A designated VA person at registration that keeps up to date on specifics of GI Bill. o Offer courses on using software such as MS Office so that students will be able to learn how to use various programs to do their coursework. o Provide software for students (at no charge) so that they can do assignments without having to purchase software. o Have one tutor in the classroom to answer questions from entire class. This could be set up as a bridge call through State Telehealth Access Network where one tutor can accept calls from entire class during set time. o One-on-one tutoring via video chat could be established. o A book recycling system that would allow students to turn in books from one course in exchange for books for another course. o A mentorship event where veterans that have successfully navigated STEM higher education could meet 17

18 and connect with new veterans to share their strategies. o Connect academic programs to TAP. o Peer-veteran mentoring program (a buddy system) with on campus support and follow-up during the first year. This would be a good way to determine if STEM is the right program for the veteran. o Help them work with memory and improve learning style conducive for collegial learning. o Math tutoring was seen as crucial because math is a pivotal discipline for all sciences for STEM field. Employment In the same way that a transition program was suggested for student veterans going into STEM education, it was suggested that there should be some type of transition program or guideline set up to be used by businesses and employers in order to provide some additional structure during a transition time. Because it is generally thought that transition takes from 6-12 months, employers should be aware that those in transition might need more structure than a typical civilian job allows. Several participants reiterated their belief that after this transition period, military members would be loyal employees; therefore, they felt it was worth the extra work. Resources should be developed for employers. Section V: Next Steps One of the goals of the Think Tank was to create a Plan to Action for Pacific Alliance personnel who identified agencies and persons responsible for accomplishing the next steps toward working with participants to increase the access, retention, and completion of postsecondary education training and employment, by our combat veterans, in STEM fields. All involved persons, were charged to seek to improve the experience of returning combat veterans in the Pacific region, which should result in improved access, retention, and completion of postsecondary education programs in STEM fields of study. Transition Under the theme of transition, the following next steps seem appropriate. Pacific Alliance personnel will connect to personnel on the military bases throughout Hawai`i and the Greater Pacific to establish a partnership with their TAP program managers, so that the possibility of postsecondary education in STEM fields can be introduced. Wounded Warriors who are interested in STEM degrees can be identified as they are transitioning out of the military and the necessary aptitude tests and tutoring (e.g., math) can begin. Mentors should be assigned to those identified candidates and stipends can be provided by the Pacific Alliance through their NSF grant monies. Mr. Rodney Sueoka is the contact person for the WTB at Schofield Barracks. Pacific Alliance personnel will also create collaboration with Rehabilitation of the Pacific VA Vocational Rehabilitation; Mr. Thomas Walk, Counseling Psychologist works with getting wounded vets into school, independent living, vocations, etc. Following suggestions to support the establishment of a Veterans Courts here in Hawai`i, Pacific Alliance personnel will contact Linden Joesting. Joesting is the State Attorney at the Office of Information Practices at the State of Hawai`i, who is also a veteran and has offered the support of establishing a veterans court here in Hawai`i. Joesting explained that there were important transition points, if a veteran were to encounter the criminal justice system there needs to be a pathway for referral from 18

19 the point of intake. The Veterans Courts is an idea to create a different way to treat veterans who end up in the criminal justice system. Like other specialty courts, Veterans Courts divert people into a venue that their unique needs can be addressed holistically. The specialty court brings veterans advocates and volunteers together to address the unique needs of veterans. The first Veterans Court was in Buffalo, New York. Judge Russell spoke at a planning conference in Honolulu this past December about Veterans Courts. He said that 40% of the people who come through Veterans Courts are there for misdemeanors, 60% for felonies. Of those people, 52% were recently in combat and 24% are from the Vietnam era. A large number, 73%, are unemployed and over 50% have mental health problems. Due to the combined efforts of veteran advocates, court personnel, and volunteers, no veterans who have gone through his court program have relapsed into criminal behavior. Both the Hawai`i State Judiciary and the Veterans Administration are committed to creating a Veterans Court here in Hawai`i. Legislation is pending which would create the program and provide funding. Pacific Alliance personnel will continue to seek guidance from Dr. Robin Brandt, Project Director of Ho`oikaika Peer Mentoring Project that supports persons with TBI. Pacific Alliance will also continue to collaborate with the John A. Burns School of Medicine, and the Pacific Basin Rehabilitation Research and Training Center. Dr. Brandt also works with Dr. Larry Burgess on the Joining Forces Initiative at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. Dr. Burgess shared what they are doing and expressed interest in staying informed about the Think Tank next steps (see Appendix 6). Pacific Alliance personnel will create a network of service providers that include the veteran organizations in Hawai`i and the Greater Pacific, to ensure that Wounded Warriors coming into their program have appropriate and adequate support as they pursue their postsecondary education. These are concrete ways that the Pacific Alliance can begin to create partnerships with the community. College From her dissertation, Dr. Katherine Li shared the recommendations that she made to University of Hawai`i at Mānoa faculty and staff. As important as it is to focus on STEM-related support for Wounded Warriors, the personnel of the Pacific Alliance will act to support the University of Hawai`i in making it a veteran-friendly campus by encouraging the following: o Create a safe environment. o Identify existing services and programs on campus and create an umbrella or support network of services and tailor them specifically for student veterans. o Create a one-stop-shop Veteran Resource Center that can be a nexus for the network of services identified above. This should include career counseling, tutoring, peer mentoring and advisement. Because businesses want to hire veterans, they need to have a central place to be able to connect with them. o Create partnerships with the VA so that they can provide benefits counselors and certification, transitional services, vocational rehabilitation, and crisis and PTS services. o Appoint a person to act as a liaison between University of Hawai`i at Mānoa and the VA who would also 19

20 outreach to the larger community including the military bases, the business community, the medical community, etc. as a way of building a bridge. o Provide professional training to faculty and staff on veterans issues. This should include academic advisors who must be well-versed in both the GI Bill and the military culture. o Create a class that would facilitate a cross-cultural dialogue between the military and campus culture. This could take place in multicultural or diversity education. o Develop an interdisciplinary program on Trauma Studies that would include partners from the community like TAMC and the VA. o Establish programs for military social work and military psychology on campus for students in those specializations to do their practica. o Make volunteering and work-study opportunities available for student veterans. Promote STEM The personnel from the Pacific Alliance will collaborate with the academic advisors that work directly with veterans and Wounded Warriors on the campus already (or individuals from these offices that know the barriers students experience in STEM programs). Pacific Alliance will also follow up on a suggestion made by Dean Crouch (UH School of Engineering) regarding the possibilities on proposals specifically for engineering oriented veterans in relationship to the veterans' education level prior to enlistment: straight from high school, during college due to financial reasons, and after graduation from college. They will also learn what other people from different schools are doing locally (e.g., Phoenix, Heald College, HPU, etc.) regarding STEM education. A proposal will be developed to create a pilot STEM program for Wounded Warriors at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa campus with input and collaboration from other schools. Employment STEM Personnel from the Pacific Alliance will identify members of the business community that hire graduates of STEM programs and create a database of that contact information. Contacts include people like Mr. Mark Matheson from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), who attended the Think Tank and who offered to be more involved in future events. It will also include organizations that track and advertise employment opportunities for veterans such as O`ahu Worklinks. Personnel from the Pacific Alliance will also strengthen the relationship with the Hawai`i Chamber of Commerce and follow up with Chamber of Commerce President James Tollefson and Chamber of Commerce, VP of Military Affairs, Charlie Ota. Mr. Ota attended the Think Tank and expressed interest in staying involved with the effort. Think Tank panelist and participant Frank Crisostomo-Kaaihue from the Guam Veterans Business Outreach Center will help make connections for Wounded Warriors who are interested in starting their own businesses, which is important considering how many opportunities exist for veteranowned businesses in government contracting. Connections will be created with the Hawai`i chapters of national veterans organizations (e.g., Association of the US Army, Air Force Association, Navy League, etc.) to establish Mentors for Veterans Programs with the Pacific Alliance. To make this topic more 20

21 widely-known to Native Hawaiians, organizations such as Native Hawaiian Veterans, Ray Jardine will be consulted. Finally, the biggest feedback from participants from the Think Tank was to get people together on a regular basis and to consider possibly extending the Think Tanktype of program into a multi-day, retreat with both classroom/lecture presentations and team-building (in-door and out-door and on-the-water) exercises. In collaboration with the community, a Think Tank Camp should be considered which could be led by Urban Miyares. Miyares has already conducted similar retreat weekends. Whether for a weekend or for a week-long program, it could feature specific topics, such as "Warrior Transition Back Into the Community," "Spouses and Warrior Transition," "Kids and their Warrior Parent(s)," "Building a New Attitude and a New Team," "Employers Joining in The Employment Battle," "Warrior Skills in the Board Room," etc. Conclusion In conclusion, the Think Tank has provided an opportunity to get a baseline understanding of the obstacles that Wounded Warriors face as they transition from the military to civilian life, postsecondary education, and civilian employment in STEM fields. Recognizing that math proficiency, as a prerequisite for any pursuit of STEM, is an area of opportunity for supporting Wounded Warriors, tutoring programs should be established. By setting up partnerships early between college campuses and the existing DoD Transition Assistance Programs (TAP), Yellow Ribbon Programs, and Warrior Transition Battalions (WTBs), service members who are separating from the military can be given assessment and placement tests. Moreover, a thorough medical assessment of the warrior in transition should be done so that a comprehensive care plan can be established to support a successful transition all the way through the academic journey. This could be made part of a STEM student Individualized Education Program (IEP) and could be established simultaneous to the college application process. By the same token, peer mentoring programs should be developed to enhance the transition process and help service members who are separating from the military to link up with support services and opportunities like those available through the Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Administration, and veteran-supportive STEM companies. This, too, would serve to bolster a sense of community for the veteran and meet the psychosocial support needs as s/he readjusts to civilian life. Representatives from the Pacific Alliance are in a good position to build on the contacts made during the Think Tank to create a comprehensive approach that would implement the ideas and suggestions made in this summary report to support Wounded Warriors interested in STEM fields. 21

22 Appendices Appendix 1: Detailed Agenda Day 1 Site Visit Hosted by Warrior Transition Unit Thursday, March 22 nd Schofield Barracks 3:00 PM 7:30 PM 3:00 5:30 5:30 7:30 Site Visit Soldier and Family Assistance Center Parking Lot (Bldg 692) Dinner /Reception -- Kole Kole Restaurant Day 2 Wounded Warriors STEM Think Tank Friday, March 23 Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Tower, Honolulu Room 8:00-5:00 7:45 Registration/Continental breakfast 8:15 Opening - Pule Kahu Kaleo Patterson & Presentation of the colors Hickam Honor Guard 8:30 8:45 Welcome & Background - Pacific Alliance Co-PI & Director, Robert Stodden, Kiriko Takahashi Setting the Charge - What do we know about the unique needs of veterans with disabilities with respect to college and career success in STEM? What obstacles do they face? Culture-based STEM.- Tamah-Lani Noh, Lt Col, HIANG 9:00 Veterans' Panel/Talk Story Session Moderator Lt. Col. Tama-Lani Noh William Clay Park - Papa Ola Lōkahi, NH Veterans' Project; Matthew Handel Honolulu Vet Center; Teresa Parsons, UH School of Nursing; Veteran - Army Nurse Corps; JAG Judge Donald McKinney; Frank Crisostomo-Kaaihue, Director Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) 10:45 Break - Poster & Information Tables 22

23 11:00 Presenter: Urban Miyares (Vietnam Veteran & President of Disabled Businesspersons Association) 11:45 Lunch Presenter: Jimmy Enocencio (Kalalau: Rediscovering the Ahupua'a Life System, Haola, Inc. 501c) 12:30 Presenter: John Schupp, Executive Director of The Next Great Generation (NGG) 1:15 Identifying/Accessing/ Supporting Wounded Warriors in Hawai`i and the Pacific - Issues in supporting this group to access, retain, and succeed in STEM fields in higher education and employment. Panel Discussion of community/academic support members Moderator Dr. David Brown Howard Reyes, Richard Reis - Resiliency Training, Pacific Regional Medical Command, AMEDD Care Provider Support Program; Genie Joseph - Act Resilient; Hank Cashen, Army Family Support Center (Schofield Barracks WTU); Kenneth A. Hirsch, PM VA PIHCS 2:00 Break - Poster & Information Tables 2:15 2:45 3:15 Workshop: David Brown (Chief, Behavioral Health PRMC) - Cultural Issues: Understanding the Culture of the Military Workshop: Steve Brown/Megan Conway/Tom Conway (UHM, Center on Disability Studies)- Employment Issues: EmployAble: A World Without Barriers Individual & Small Group Discussions on Collaboration - Facilitated by Pacific Alliance Staff 3:45 Goals & Next Steps - Facilitated by Pacific Alliance Staff 4:30 Wrap up & Conclusion - Robert Stodden, CDS - Pacific Alliance; Matthew Handel, Honolulu Vet Center 4:45 Poster & Information Tables 5:00 Pau (end) 23

24 Appendix 2: Panelist and Speaker Bios Dr. Kenneth Hirsch has a PhD in clinical psychology and an MD with board certification in general psychiatry and addiction medicine. He has published articles and book chapters in the areas of mathematical psychology, clinical care in mental health and addictions, and patient safety. He has co-authored a book on root cause analysis in healthcare and has co-developed two commercial software products for the facilitation of root cause analysis and failure mode and effects analysis. Dr. Hirsch served eleven years in the Army (LTC) followed by eleven years in the Navy (CAPT), with his last deployment beginning immediately after 9/11. He retired from active duty in September of 2006 to manage outpatient and residential services for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in the Veterans Health Administration in Honolulu. Hank Cashen, L.C.S.W., B.C.D. Director, Soldier and Family Assistance Center Schofield Barracks, Hawaiʻi Hank Cashen is the Director of the Soldier and Family Assistance Center (SFAC) at Schofield Barracks, Hawai`i. He has held this position since April He supervises nine SFAC staff members who provide support services such as financial counseling, educational assistance, financial counseling, social services, and transition counseling to soldiers assigned to the Warrior in Transition Battalion and their family members. Mr. Cashen is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who served twenty-one years on active duty, his last five years as Chief, Command Behavioral Health Consultant, for Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), on the PACAF Command Surgeon s staff. He has extensive management experience in the Air Force in the areas of Family Advocacy, Mental Health, Substance Abuse treatment, Social Work education, and Suicide Prevention. He has served as Chief of a 20-bed inpatient Alcoholism Rehabilitation Center, directed several Partial-Hospitalization Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment programs, served as Family Advocacy Officer, and was selected as Chief of the first nine-month Social Work Residency Program in the Air Force. He served as 386 th Expeditionary Medical Group Division Chief and Officer in Charge of Combat Stress Services while deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait in Genie Joseph, MA, MFA is an Adjunct Professor at Chaminade University where she teaches Performing Arts, Media, Communications and Inter-Cultural Communications. Previously, she was CEO of Hawai`i Movie Studios where she hired a high percentage of Vets and Spouses for Film Production positions. She is a Red Cross Volunteer at Tripler Army Medical Center in the Resiliency Department and is the creator of Act Resilient, which uses comedy, laughter and emotional flexibility training to raise morale and resilience. Act-Resilient.org Genie@GenieJoseph.com 24

25 Rev. Richard I. Ries, M.S.Ed., (Psy. D. Candidate) is a Provider Resiliency Subject Matter Expert and Training Instructor for the Pacific Regional Medical Command s Care Provider Support Program (CPSP). CPSP works to build the resiliency of US Army physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, techs and support staff throughout the Pacific Region. Prior to joining the CPSP workforce, Ries served as Deputy Chief of Research in the Department of Psychology at Tripler Army Medical Center for two years. He also has experience working for the US Department of Veterans Affairs in Hospice and Palliative psychology and on the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team. Howard Reyes, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. is the Pacific Regional Medical Command Supervisor for the Care Provider Support Program (CPSP), whose mission is to support and enhance the resiliency of US Army health care providers and staff throughout the Pacific Region. Mr. Reyes has over 19 years of clinical Social Work experience, including over six years of working for Tripler Army Medical Center. He was the first Social Worker assigned to the newly formed Warrior Transition Unit at Schofield Barracks, Hawai`i, in Matthew Handel is an Army Veteran who served in the Iraq War and Kosovo. He graduated with an Associate s Degree from Heald College in 2005, Bachelor s Degree in Psychology from Argosy University in 2010, and currently in HPU s Masters of Social Work Program. Mr. Handel has been with the Vet Center in Honolulu for over 6 years as the Veterans Outreach Specialist in which he works closely with military and community services as well as local colleges and universities to share information about Readjustment Counseling Services for Combat Veterans in our community. Lieutenant Colonel Tamah-Lani S.K. Noh Appointed as the Counterdrug Coordinator, State of Hawai`i (September 9, 2008 present) Her duties included management of Air and Army National Guards members in support of Marijuana Eradication, support to Law Enforcement, support to Drug Demand Reduction and Community Based Organizations, and a Substance Abuse Prevention and Testing Program. Between August 8, 2004 June 30, 2006, she was appointed as the Drug Control Liaison, State of Hawai`i. She was 25

26 responsible for establishing policy and implementing the Drug Control Strategy for the State of Hawai`i, and established a platform that would facilitate systems change within state government, which will encourage collaboration, promote effectiveness and the facilitation of information as it relates to prevention, treatment and law enforcement. Dr. David G Brown Chief, Behavioral Health, Pacific Regional Medical Command David G. Brown, Psy.D. comes to the Pacific region from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Readiness) where he was the lead Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Subject Matter Expert for Suicide Prevention. He functioned as the Director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Oversight Council (DSPOC), a Four-Star Council chaired by the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness), responsible for the creation of the Suicide Prevention Office and responding to all Congressional and Senate Armed Services Committee testimonies on suicide. Frank Crisostomo-Kaaihue, Director of the Guam Veteran Business Outreach Center, which is a recognized small business consultant and trainer. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Guam. Frank s varied experience include a teaching career in the Guam public school system, a partner in a professional entertainment company in the Guam visitor industry, a two-time Association of SBDCs award winning business counselor and training program coordinator during his tenure with the University of Guam s Pacific Islands SBDC Network lead center, the Guam SBDC, vice-president of a private security company serving Guam, the FSM, Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshal Islands and owner of a business consulting company. An active Rotarian with the Rotary Club of Tumon Bay, he continues his community service on the Small Business Focus & Development Committee of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, the Veterans Advisory Council and the Veterans Affairs Commission. He is a Vietnam-war veteran having served honorably in the United States Air Force. His passions are his family, working out, reading, and technology and business development. Colonel Donald McKinney Judge Advocate General, Joint Forces Headquarters Hawai`i National Guard. Colonel McKinney had enjoyed a prestigious career as a Judge Advocate General with 30 years plus experience in virtually every area of law with specializations in criminal, environmental and labor law. Colonel McKinney has worked as a trial attorney, courtroom judge, mediator and legal advisor and had several cases upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Over the years he has provided legal assistance to thousands of military members and their families all over the world. Colonel McKinney served as Chief Legal Counsel and Judge for the Pentagon, Robins AFB HQ AF RES JAG, Ellsworth AFB, Barksdale AFB, and Tinker AFB. Colonel McKinney is also Former President of the Oklahoma Bar Association and Ethics Officer for the Hawai`i Army National Guard. 26

27 Jimmy Enocencio Branch of Service: Army Years of Service: 1970 to 1973 Rank: Sgt. E-5. Currently runs (Kalalau Ranch and Victory Gardens) and non-profit (Kalalau: Rediscovering the Ahupua'a Life System, Haola, Inc. 501c3) which involves hands-on applications in agriculture, animal and aqua-sciences working with youth and stressing the importance of STEM. As a combat disabled Vietnam veteran (70-71, us army/recon, Americas Division) Jimmy s projects can benefit the returning veteran. Jimmy is also involved with Operation Military Kids, 4H leadership, and the Big Island Veterans Day "Welcome Home" Parade Committee. He is a former commander of DAV 9, Puna. Dr. John Schupp Before Dr. Schupp started the SERV (Supported Education for the Returning Veteran) program he was in the synthetic crystal industry. As CEO of his own company he developed new processes for synthetic crystal production, including lenses for Lasik Surgery and the Intel Corp superchip in the early 2000 s receiving 4 patents during this tenure. In the fall of 2006, he got the SERV idea from a discussion with a student veteran that served in Kosovo. He created veteran learning communities and became a student veteran advocate in the spring of The data for these veteran only classes showed retention rates of over 80% consistently; with GPA s above 3.5. Dr. Schupp expanded on this success and shared the concept to other universities, the University of Arizona, Youngstown State University, and The Ohio State University, all with similar results. In 2009, he helped write, pass and fund the FIPSE Centers of Excellence grant which awarded $6M to 15 campuses nationwide in July of Urban Miyares Internationally known as the Entrepreneurs Entrepreneur, Urban Miyares, with more than 40-years as an entrepreneur, is a blinded and multidisabled Vietnam veteran, much sought after motivational and inspirational public speaker and lecturer, author and published writer, inventor, philanthropist, media personality, world-class Alpine skier and sailor. Miyares, founder (1985) and president of the volunteer-driven Disabled Businesspersons Association (DBA), oversees all the charity s operations, to include its National Disabled Veterans Business Center, Special Kids in Business, and Challenged America programs. Urban is recognized as one of the nation s leading authorities and presenters on the selfemployment of individuals with disabilities, having assisted thousands in their career development and transition back into the workforce through a self- 27

28 employment direction. William Clay Park Director, Papa Ola Lōkahi, NH Veterans' Project. In 1966, after being trained as a combat medic and dental technician, he served in Vietnam. Afterwards, he worked as a dental lab technician for over 30 years for the Veterans Administration (VA). He also served in the Hawai`i National Guard for 21 years, retiring as a Master Sergeant in Before his involvement with Papa Ola Lōkahi, Mr. Park was a case manager for Helping Hands, Hawai`i, a nonprofit organization. One of its missions was to help veterans in need of physical and mental health assistance. Papa Ola Lōkahi is the Native Hawaiian Health Board that was established by the native Hawaiian community in 1987 to plan and implement programs, coordinate projects and programs, define policy, and education about and advocate for the improved health and wellbeing of Native Hawaiians. 28