VETERAN AFFAIRS NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 Germanna Community College Fredericksburg, VA /1/2016 Volume 1, Issue 3 VETERAN AFFAIRS NEWSLETTER QUOTE FOR THE MONTH: The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances. Martha Washington, 1st US First Lady. CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING AND SERVICE TRANSCRIPTS HIGHLIGHTS Is applying for Credit for Prior Learning worth the effort? You bet! It may help you reduce the number of courses you need to take to complete your degree, and in the process, save you money or the amount of GI Bill education benefits you use. It starts with your military transcript. If you served with the Army and National Guard, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy, request to have your Joint Services Transcript (JST) sent to Germanna through For Air Force 1

2 transcripts, visit the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) at You can also earn credit for prior learning towards your degree by taking exams such as: o College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) at o DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) at You have until March 1, 2017, to be reimbursed for CLEP/DSST exam fees for up to two exams. Moving to another matter, did you find inaccurate or missing information in your Joint Services Transcript / Community College Of The Air Force Transcript? How can you get these transcripts corrected? If you are on active duty Contact your base education center. Search for Adult Education Centers at military bases through If you are an Army or National Guard, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy veteran Find out how you can make corrections to your JST by visiting If you are an Air Force veteran Contact CCAF transcripts by calling (334) > select option 1 for current and former CCAF students > then option 1 again for transcript/diploma inquiries. See Sarah Turner or Alex Haro at the Veteran Affairs Center for more information, or call

3 LOOKING FOR A MENTOR AT GERMANNA? Do you think you could benefit from a mentor? Mentors in the Germanna Program are supportive individuals who build relationships with student veterans by offering them guidance, support, and encouragement to help cultivate positive career choices. Mentors are not meant to replace parents, guardians, or teachers, or to play the role of disciplinarians or decision-makers. Rather, they can help promote self-esteem, support academic achievement and introduce new ideas. Here are some things a mentor might help with: - Setting academic and/or career goals and taking steps to achieve them - Making healthy choices in everyday life: nutrition, exercise, social activities, and beyond - Thinking through a problem at home or school Is this something that might benefit you? Contact the Veterans Mentor Program Supervisor, Bill Anderson, at wanderson@germanna.edu to talk about the possibilities. Ref: 9/1/16. VA Retail Immunization Care Coordination Program DON T FORGET TO GET A FLU SHOT. No-Cost Flu Shots Available: VA and Walgreens are national partners, providing no-cost flu shots to enrolled Veterans of the VA health care system. From August 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016, enrolled Veteran patients nationwide have the option of getting their flu shot at any of Walgreens 8,000 locations in addition to their local VA health care facilities. Walgreens has the capability to electronically send vaccination information to the VA electronic health record (EHR). The VA-Walgreens national partnership is part of VA s ehealth Exchange project. Last year s national pilot program ensured that many Veterans got their no-cost flu shot at their local Walgreens, satisfying their wellness reminder because they either found it more convenient or did not have a scheduled appointment at a local VA health care facility. See: 3

4 VA program to provide service dogs for some veterans with mental health conditions By Patricia Kime, Military Times, August 24, 2016 Veterans with mental disorders that prevent them from leaving their homes or moving around may qualify for a service dog under a new Veterans Affairs program introduced this month. VA officials said Tuesday that a Service Dog Benefits pilot will cover the veterinary costs of a service dog for a veteran with a mental health condition that limits their mobility. This would include patients whose medical teams believe their lives would be improved by a dog that can help get them out of bed each morning, go outside, shop or go to social functions. While VA already covers veterinary care for service dogs that assist blind or deaf veterans and those with mobility restrictions caused by a physical disability, the pilot marks the first time the benefit is being extended to veterans whose primary diagnosis is a mental health disorder, said Dr. Harold Kudler, chief medical consultant for the Veterans Health Administration. Kudler said many mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, can limit a sufferer's mobility. For more details, see: What s Really Going On With Veteran Employment? Center For A New American Security is looking for help with a survey on veterans performance in the workplace. By Amy Shafer and Andrew J. Swick, Task & Purpose, August 9, 2016 Veteran unemployment is on the decline, but it s still difficult to know how veterans are doing in the economy long term. After 15 years of war, there are big questions over how well the men and women who serve the country are faring after military service. The Center for a New American Security is launching a survey of veterans, HR professionals, and 4

5 supervisors to figure out what s affecting veterans performance in the workplace. By taking a better look at the challenges that exist for vets, we hope to find better ways to help them as they leave the military. In response to a surge of unemployment for post-9/11 veterans, many groups launched fantastic efforts to address the problem. From the Veterans Jobs Mission to the Joining Forces initiative at the White House, both the public and private sector stepped up to the plate, seeing a moral obligation to help and that hiring veterans is smart business. After several years of these efforts, veteran unemployment is on the decline, but it s still difficult to know how veterans are doing in the economy long term. We don t know if veterans are succeeding in building careers over time, the impact of how long they stay in their first job, and what the challenges are in transitioning from the military into a new company culture. The CNAS survey attempts to gather more information about veteran economic performance, to use it to shape programs aimed at recruiting veterans and keeping them employed. There are several important aspects to the economic performance of veterans, from their initial recruitment into their first post-military job, to whether employers are aware of the benefits of hiring veterans and their families. Also, often veterans take jobs that are not in line with their skills and values. Without further data, it will be difficult to figure out how much this is the case, and what the primary causes are. While it s possible that veterans are receiving better offers from other companies or moving onto higher-level positions elsewhere, veterans may be struggling to assimilate into civilian culture or finding it difficult to see the impact of their work. By gathering more information we can begin to better understand this phenomenon and where we need to help. Help us figure out what s affecting veterans performance in the workplace by taking this survey today. Amy Schafer is a research assistant for the Military, Veterans, & Society program at the Center for a New American Security. Andrew J. Swick is a former Army officer and a Joseph S. Nye Research Intern at the Center for a New American Security. Ref: 5

6 TEAM RED, WHITE & BLUE (RWB) CREATES ACTIVE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS FOR VETERANS Blayne Smith, 36, is the executive director of Team Red, White & Blue, a Tampabased nonprofit that has become one the nation's fastest growing veteran service organization over the last five years by redefining the term "veterans group." Founder Mike Erwin, who served in the Army with Smith, crafted the idea in 2010 while attending graduate school at the University of Michigan. He found himself wanting for the passion he felt in the Army. He also knew that other veterans were far worse off, and needed much more. Smith, who had left the military and was pursuing an MBA at the University of Florida while living in Tampa, felt the same way. He began serving as an unofficial adviser. With the benefit of some research grants, the group found that what does help veterans is good health, people to lean on, and a sense of purpose some of the same attributes, incidentally, that the military tries to instill in troops to create esprit de corps. Given the similar goals, Smith saw the value in some of the same tools: exercise and team building. Team RWB (as members call it) now has a much simpler mission statement: "Enrich the lives of America's veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity." Those activities include daily workouts, weekly fitness activities, monthly social events, and participation in local races. With the help of social media, word of mouth, sponsorships and event partnerships, the nonprofit has grown to include 85,000 members in 180 chapters around the country. Smith sums up the impact as an ounce of prevention for a pound of cure. Romeu, employed now and living on his own, calls it, "one of the best decisions I have ever made." Ref: 6

7 For more details about RWB activities in this area, contact the Fredericksburg Chapter: UPCOMING EVENTS: REMINDER: GERMANNA HISTORY DAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 Join Germanna Community for interactive exhibits, re-enactors, presentation and much more on October 4, 2016 at Fredericksburg Campus. Sponsored by Germanna s History Department and Germanna Presents! Lyceum. Questions: Barbara Taylor, btaylor@germanna.edu. 2D ANNUAL GAUTHIER VINEYARD VETERANS IN THE VINEYARDS Put October 8, 2016, on your calendar for the 2d Annual Veterans in the Vineyards salute to military veterans and their families. The Gauthier Vineyard will be honoring all active duty military, Guard, Reserves, veterans, military retirees and their families. All are welcome. Food, cold drinks, and music by the Code Blue Grass Band are provided gratis for your enjoyment. The event will be held at the beautiful Gauthier Equestrian Center and Vineyard, 1:00 to 5:00 PM, Saturday, October 8, The address for the Gauthier Vineyard is: 5000 Farmers Drive, Barhamsville, VA Gauthier Vineyard is located in New Kent County near Williamsburg and central to the Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg, Fredericksburg areas. Supporters of the event include: Mission BBQ, Patriots Colony, the Military Officers Association of America, US Marine Corps Reserve Association, United Services Automobile Association, VSE Corporation, Gauthier Vineyard, New Kent Winery, Saude Creek Vineyards and others. The Yellow Ribbon Fund will be featured veterans and caregivers outreach organization. The event is inside the equestrian amphitheater and will be held rain or shine. Dress is farm comfortable! There will be plenty of chairs and tables for groups and individuals. All parking is free and plentiful. The arena is handicap accessible. All are invited to tour the 7

8 grounds and tasting room. There will plenty for children to do and see. Please bring them along. RSVP s are appreciated but not required. Feel free to pass this invitation on to family, friends and those who you believe would enjoy a great afternoon honoring America s heroes. Contact is Frank G. Wickersham III, Vice Chair, 2d Annual Veterans in the Vineyard at fgwickersham@vsecorp.com GOLF TOURNAMENT BENEFITING VETERANS When: October 28, 2016 Where: Lee s Hill Golf Course, Fredericksburg, VA Details: See attached announcement 8

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10 THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE ON THE FREDERICKSBURG CAMPUS, STOP BY THE VETERAN AFFAIRS CENTER FOR SOME SNACKS, COFFEE AND CONVERSATION. YOUR FUTURE. OUR COMMITMENT. VETERANS AFFAIRS CENTER, ROOM 114E, V. EARL DICKINSON BUILDING, 10 FREDERICKSBURG CAMPUS