Veterans Day on campus

I uncovered a lot of colleges observing Veterans Day while collecting stories for last night's Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Super Typhoon Haiyan).  The result was such a great aggregation of videos and articles that I am reposting all of them here.

Rutgers University goes first with Veterans Transition to Civilian Life at Rutgers.

When you've handled life and death in war, an exam in the classroom doesn't seem like such a big deal. But some veterans say succeeding in classes and fitting in were their biggest concerns when they came to Rutgers as nontraditional students. "Everyone has said 'thank you' and that is a huge thing," one veteran said. "It goes miles with us vets."

Here's the article that goes with it.

Rutgers University: Veterans Transition to Civilian Life at Rutgers
Rutgers student Juan Hernandez was one of first U.S. forces to touch down for Benghazi evacuation
Monday, November 11, 2013
By Fredda Sacharow

'The reality check of being in a third-world country was stark. Even the simple task of looking for clean water becomes an ordeal.' – Juan Hernandez

November 28 will mark Juan Hernandez‘s first Thanksgiving home after three years of active military duty with the U.S. Air Force, and he can practically taste his Mexican-born mother’s signature chicken tamales.

During his service abroad, the Rutgers student helped in the mission to bring American Foreign Service workers home from Benghazi after the deadly 2012 attack on their compound. He took part in humanitarian projects in Africa, dropping water bottles in Mali and Ethiopia to ensure residents had safe drinking water at hand. He trained forces in Ghana.

Now Hernandez is anticipating a series of firsts in the coming months: first birthday home after lengthy postings in Spain, Germany and Africa; first Christmas and New Year’s out of the military; and even today, his first Veterans Day as a veteran.

In his first semester at Rutgers’ School of Management and Labor Relations, where he’s majoring in both human resource management and labor studies, Hernandez says thoughts of home and family were never far from his mind throughout his years overseas.

Follow over the jump for more from Rutgers and other campuses on the campaign trail I originally included in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Super Typhoon Haiyan) with a bonus video from Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (ACA and shutdown on campus) that I've been saving for the right occasion.

Rutgers University: Rutgers Graduate Serves Fellow Veterans as Case Manager for 'Soldier On'
Tina Mikes works with nonprofit organization to keep veterans from becoming homeless
Tuesday, November 5, 2013

As Tina Mikes recalls, she had her “a-ha moment” in 2010, while working in Camden as a quality-assurance manager for the decennial U.S. census.

As part of her responsibilities, the Rutgers–Camden graduate had to count the homeless population living in “tent city,” a homeless encampment located beside I-676 near the 5A exit. Arriving there late one evening, she was introduced to Lorenzo Banks, the camp’s self-appointed mayor, who agreed to assist her. Mikes asked for his identification card and, to her surprise, discovered that – just like her – he was a United States veteran. The two struck up conversation, and she informed him of the programs and services that are available for homeless veterans.

“That incident stuck with me, and I wondered what happened to him after that,” recalls Mikes, who served as a communications specialist in the United States Army.

Today, the Maple Shade resident can be heard offering similar words of support and encouragement as a case manager for Soldier On. The private, nonprofit organization aims to prevent veteran homelessness by providing case management, referral services, and temporary financial assistance for housing, to veterans and their family members in need. “We can help prevent veterans from becoming homeless, if they’ve fallen behind on their rent or they can’t pay their bills,” explains Mikes, who graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers–Camden in May with a bachelor’s degree in social work.

Rutgers University: Higher Ed through a Veteran Perspective to be Explored during Rutgers Law–Camden Symposium Nov. 13
Monday, November 4, 2013

CAMDEN —Issues confronting an active military and veteran population when entering higher education, including providing in-state tuition to all veterans regardless of where they legally reside, will be addressed during a symposium on veterans and higher education at Rutgers Law–Camden.
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According to Alison Nissen, who is researching veteran students’ academic strategies for success in law school, Rutgers Law–Camden strives to acknowledge the diversity and various perspectives of this growing population. “Most policies and research on veterans and higher education has focused on the undergraduate level. There is a unique law school culture that is very different in some distinct ways than military culture. Providing an informal mentorship program and community is helping our students adjust quicker.”

First-year law student May Wedlund, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, said the events offered for veteran students at Rutgers made her feel welcome. “When every aspect of law school was new (the people, location, and subject matter), having the opportunity to talk about our experiences with others that share a common ground was very comforting,” notes the Rutgers Law–Camden student who returned from deployment in Afghanistan this past summer. “I hope this community will continue to grow in future years. I know that I would like to offer the same support to future students that I have been given.”

University of Virginia: U.Va. ROTC Units to Honor Veterans, POWs and MIAs on Veterans Day
Matt Kelly
November 7, 2013

ROTC detachments at the University of Virginia will hold a unique joint ceremony to mark the POW/MIA Vigil and Veterans Day.

The annual vigil will start on Monday at 3 p.m. on the North Steps of the Rotunda. ROTC participants from the Army, Air Force and Navy units will march back and forth in 15-minute shifts for 24 hours.

The vigil will culminate Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. with a Veterans’ Day Ceremony. Cadets and midshipmen from the three service units will sing the national anthem and a color guard, led by Air Force Cadet John Newell, will march the colors onto the Rotunda’s north plaza.

Here the bonus video I mentioned just above the jump.  It's from Virginia Tech: Employing veterans.

In true embodiment of the university's motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) and as a thank-you to the sacrifices made by U.S. military servicemen and women, Virginia Tech provides ongoing assistance to veterans returning to the workforce through a series of programs and services.

Virginia Tech employs about 300 veterans. The university is fully committed to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for covered veterans.

Now back to material from this week's Overnight News Digest.

Virginia Tech: Rifle salute, cannon fire to be part of Veterans Day celebrations
From: Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets
Nov 7, 2013

At 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets will hold a Veterans Day remembrance ceremony in War Memorial Chapel, 601 Drillfield Drive, to recognize all veterans and to honor the service Virginia Tech men and women have given our nation.

At the conclusion of the ceremony at approximately 11 a.m., a wreath will be placed in front of the cenotaph on Memorial Court. The Gregory Guard, the Corps of Cadets precision rifle drill team, will fire a rifle salute; the Color Guard will present the colors; and Taps will be played.

At 4:45 p.m., the Corps of Cadets will hold a formal retreat ceremony at the flag pole on Upper Quad. The regiment will be formed up in front of Lane Hall, 280 Alumni Mall. The Color Guard will lower the flag; Skipper, the Corps of Cadets cannon, will fire; and the Highty-Tighties, the regimental band, will play.

University of Massachusetts: Veterans Day Observances on Campus
November 6, 2013

AMHERST, Mass.– Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will hold a Veterans Day vigil on Friday, Nov. 8 on the east side of Memorial Hall beginning at 4 p.m.

All UMass Amherst students who are veterans are invited, along with their families and military faculty and staff, to the fourth annual free “Warrior Breakfast” in Memorial Hall from 9-11 a.m.

University of Cincinnati: UC Salute to Veterans 2013

On Nov. 8, the UC community celebrated the upcoming (Nov. 11) Veterans Day holiday with a moving tribute to our veterans. UC's student veteran population currently stands at about 1,500, part of a national trend that sees more veterans returning from service to enroll in the college classroom.

University of Cincinnati: Focus on Veterans With David Norton, MD
11/07/13

David Norton, MD, assistant professor in the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, is also director of the medical intensive care unit at UC Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the University of Virginia in 1997, and completed his residency in internal medicine at the David Grant United States Air Force Medical Center in 2000 as well as a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine from the Naval Medical Center, San Diego, in 2003.

Norton came to Cincinnati in 2009 as part of an Air Force training program known as C-STARS or Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills. In 2011, he separated from the Air Force and joined UC as a faculty member. Norton is a former lieutenant colonel in the Air Force.

As a former Air Force lieutenant colonel you have a special tie to our men and women in American service. What does Veterans Day mean to you?

"I think it’s a time for me to reflect on those who have served in the military and those who are still serving, particularly those who are currently away from home. They are honoring America’s commitments abroad through great sacrifice. I spend a lot of time thinking about them, not just on Veterans Day.

"If you have deployed before in a war zone, every day is Veterans Day. The experiences you have had, the things you have seen, and the people you have met, in my case the people I was honored enough to take care of, you think of them every day. You think of them on Veterans Day, but you think of them every day. Not a day goes by you don’t think about those experiences. You are never removed from them.”

Detroit's Wayne State University gets to finish today's virtual parade with Veterans Day Tip Sheet.
November 6, 2013

Wayne State University is saluting veterans and active duty military personnel throughout the month of November. Several schools, colleges and departments are hosting events in honor of those who have served the country. Additionally, experts are available to discuss research and initiatives that focus on veterans.
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Office of Military and Veterans Academic Excellence helps veterans achieve academic success
Through Wayne State’s Office of Military and Veterans Academic Excellence, more than 600 military veteran students receive academic advising, tutoring, mentoring and assistance completing the paperwork required to access federal veteran education benefits. Patrick Hannah, Student Veteran Resource Center manager, WSU alum and Marine Corps veteran, was instrumental in creating the center and Wayne State’s Student Veterans Organization. Hannah says the center, which averages daily visits by 30 to 60 students, was designed to provide a “friendly environment that helps veterans making the transition from uniform to student.”

Wayne State University’s School of Social Work recruits veterans for DOD-funded study on post-deployment counseling
Wayne State University’s School of Social Work is working with veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom to develop ways to keep veterans engaged in mental health counseling for post-deployment stress. The novel study, "Using motivational enhancement therapy among OIF/OEF veterans returning to the community," is funded by the Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency through a grant from the United States Department of Defense. The project will employ motivational enhancement intervention and peer support to move veterans through five “stages of change” intended to enhance their readiness to undergo treatment. Shirley Thomas, assistant professor of social work and the study’s co-director, said the results could lead to improved services for returning soldiers.

From the previous two observances of Veterans Day at Crazy Eddie's Motie News, here's the flower for the day.