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The Veteran Student Experience and the Academic Librarian
The Journal of Academic Librarianship 41 (2015) 236–240
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The Journal of Academic Librarianship
The Veteran Student Experience and the Academic Librarian Sue F. Phelps ⁎ The Library, Washington State University Vancouver, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98686-9600, USA
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Article history: Received 19 December 2014 Accepted 3 April 2015 Available online 18 April 2015 Keywords: Veterans Veteran students Higher education Post-traumatic stress syndrome Traumatic brain injury Military sexual trauma
a b s t r a c t With the increase of student veteran enrollment under the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008, colleges and university campuses are beginning to accommodate the needs of this population. Student veterans present unique challenges to institutions of higher education as they are adjusting to a new culture and coping with both visible and invisible injuries. Some of these war-related injuries affect behavior in both classroom and extracurricular settings and some result in learning disabilities. Librarians who understand the experiences of student veterans can better assist these students with their academic goals. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION Colleges and universities in the United States are seeing a large increase in the number of veterans who are enrolling under the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008, more commonly referred to as the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Within the first year of the Post 9/11 GI Bill over 300,000 service men and women enrolled in college. The 2013 fiscal year saw 754,229 veterans enrolled in institutions of higher education, an increase of 107,927 over the previous year (Dept. of Veterans Affairs). Because of the generosity of the new bill, institutions of higher education can expect increasing numbers of the over two million veterans who have served in the Afghanistan and Iraqi conflicts to arrive on college campuses (Barry, Whiteman, & Wadsworth, 2014). As members of the academic community, librarians need to be aware of the challenges of veteran students in order to support the students in the library and in the classroom. Though there is a rapid increase in the number of student veterans there has not been a corresponding increase in the understanding of the issues of this group of students as compared to other subgroups such as athletes, nontraditional students, gay and lesbian students, or those in fraternities and sororities (Barry et al., 2014). In her master's thesis Anderson (2012) points out that the research which has been conducted about the current generation of veteran students does not include the “veteran's social and institutional biography and the qualities of higher education institutions that most impact their transition experience” (p. 8). A search of the literature indicates that there are current publications in the disciplines of psychology, disability and higher education that describe how the results of military culture and combat ⁎ Tel.: +1 360 546 9178. E-mail address: [email protected].
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.04.001 0099-1333/© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
history affect the assimilation and learning of the returning soldier. There are also some articles in the library literature which are focused primarily on resources for veterans, programming in libraries, and some good suggestions for how to engage veteran students (Helton, 2010; Evans, 2012; Sojdehei, 2013). With the increasing population of student veterans on college campuses it is essential that the academic community, including librarians, be prepared to serve the veteran population. This paper will describe the experiences of the veteran students synthesized from research in education, disability services and psychology and suggest accommodations that librarians can make to support the transition from a military to academic environment and to facilitate student learning. It is worth noting that any programming or adjustments to instruction to accommodate student veterans will have the likely advantage of benefiting all students. THE WAR EXPERIENCE Many of the veteran students are returning from active duty in combat, frequently with a history of multiple deployments. As a result of the unique culture of the military and the consequences of experiencing combat, they present on our college campuses with issues unlike those of most other students. Academic institutions must prepare to address the issues of veteran students both in and out of the classroom (Shea & Fishback, 2012). The war on terror, unlike previous conflicts, is “a different kind of war” (Lafferty, Alford, Davis, & O'Connor, 2008) creating a different set of circumstances and a unique set of adjustments to civilian life for today's veteran. There are three distinctions that affect reintegration for the veteran returning from Iraq or Afghanistan as compared to those returning from prior wars: the tour of duty length and pattern, the danger level, and disengagement from civilian culture (Manderscheid, 2007, as cited in Lafferty, Alford, Davis, & O'Connor,
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2008). Lafferty et al. (2008) add two more: uncertainty of duration and the types of casualties brought on by the war on terror. Historically combatants were deployed for a twelve month period and were reasonably assured that they would only be deployed one time. Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan, however, can extend to two years and many are deployed more than once. The pattern is unpredictable. The war itself differs from previous conflicts in that there are no safe zones and even those who are not in an area of combat are at risk of attack from snipers or of detonating a hidden improvised explosive device (IED). There is an additional stressor brought on by the uncertainty of how long the conflict itself is likely to continue. It feels to some as if it is never ending (Lafferty et al., 2008). Additionally, the war has required the deployment of a large number of National Guard and Reserve forces who do not have the same intensity of experience as active duty soldiers nor do they have the same support when they return from duty. Finally, with the improvements in armor and battlefield medicine, soldiers who would likely have not survived in previous wars are now surviving with physical and psychological injuries in numbers that exceed those of previous conflicts (Lafferty et al., 2008; Church, 2009). The veteran students who enter the college classrooms and libraries bring both visible and invisible injuries with them. For this reason college administration and faculty need to evaluate the needs of these students and make changes to support student success. THE STUDENT VETERAN Education in general is demonstratively important in the Army and other armed services where new recruits initially attend school in basic training. They then continue to attend several professional development schools during enlistment for promotion and training for specific jobs. Further, enlisted men and women are also encouraged to obtain a bachelor's degree during enlistment while officers are encouraged to pursue a graduate degree (Shea & Fishback, 2012). Often soldiers were motivated to join the military as a means of financing higher education with most soldiers using GI benefits to pay for college after they are out of the military. Others, who had not initially planned to use the education benefits of military service, see college as a buffer between the military and the civilian world at the time of discharge (Lighthall, 2012). The military instills the confidence to plan for success, overcome challenges, and follow through on commitments, but often student veterans need help in translating these abilities to school and an already busy life. Many are first generation college students and although they may have more life experience they still face the challenges of not knowing where to go for help, what questions to ask, and how to advocate for themselves within the academic system. They need to learn the language of higher education as they once learned the jargon of the military (Callahan & Jarrat, 2014). CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT The change from the military culture to the civilian culture of the university can be described as a dual process; one of “creating a narrative” and one of “becoming an ex” so individuals are at once being socialized into a new identity and dealing with the lasting effects of the previous one (Ebaugh as cited in Anderson, 2012). Lighthall writes that “former military personnel report feeling not just disoriented, but deeply alienated from the rest of America; not just sad over the loss of friendships, but devastated over the loss of brothers and sisters; not just a temporary destabilizing of identity, but a complete identity crisis” (Lighthall, 2012, pp. 81–82). Additionally, being a veteran is more of a title than a role with a defined direction (Anderson, 2012), having far more to do with who a person was, not who they are. At the same time the veteran student is becoming an ex-soldier they are becoming a civilian student.
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Veterans find themselves in a completely different culture when they transition from the structured comfort zone of the military to the unrestricted civilian academic world. A veteran officer who transitioned directly from a combat unit to a civilian university said in a research interview, “I was in a graduate program…and the majority of them [classmates] were civilians, and I was coming straight out of combat into a very liberal academic environment. I came to the understanding that the civilians, along with the instructors, did not understand the fight in Iraq or Afghanistan, or the big picture of what's going on between the East and West, and they took a very academic approach, as if the academic approach will always solve the problem” (Shea & Fishback, 2012, p. 56). Because of this difference of experience and perspective a veteran can have difficulty communicating with civilian peers and finding their way in the environment of the university, often feeling isolated because they are surrounded by students who have no understanding of their military or combat experience. To add to that student veterans often have spouses, children and jobs which set them apart from the traditional students with which they share the classroom. An aspect of the veteran transition experience that has received little attention is the impact of pre-military socioeconomic class. In the current all-volunteer military, enlisted members are disproportionately from low-income or working class backgrounds and have the usual characteristics of first generation college students as well as classspecific behaviors and attitudes. The working class or poor families, as described by Anderson (2012), “are more likely to adopt a deferential stance toward authority… more passively receive information without questioning it, and may find the kind of reasoning and challenging of knowledge that characterize learning in higher education to be both unfamiliar and uncomfortable” (p. 34). Military service reinforces these characteristics. Callahan and Jarrat (2014) report that the military, in fact, often expects service members to fulfill duties without complaint regardless of the circumstances, therefore veteran students are hesitant to advocate for themselves. They are likened in some cases to international students in this regard and need to have coaching on when and how to express concerns constructively. TRAUMA HISTORY AND POST COMBAT ISSUES In discussing trauma it is important to remember that all veterans are not the same. Even those who have been in combat have had different types of experiences so there is no accurate generalization about trauma history (Roost, A. & Roost, N, 2014). It is not important to know the details of each veteran's experience, but it is important to understand the way they, as a population, perceive themselves and their experience. It is necessary to keep in mind that trauma is an injury, not a mental illness and that veterans do not want to be seen as victims. They see themselves as powerful warriors and “retain their self-belief of being ‘bulletproof’” (Lighthall, 2012, p. 82) therefore it is in their military character to resist asking for help. Women in the military have to cope with being in what is still a man's domain so they have to do everything “better, faster, and smarter” to earn the respect of the men (Lighthall, 2012, p. 87). This tough independence can carry over to the academic environment. There are three major types of trauma common in veterans returning from combat. They are physical injuries, mental health injuries including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and military sexual trauma (MST), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Physical injuries are often more easily seen and accommodated and are most often addressed by campus disability services. This paper will focus on the less visible injuries of post traumatic stress, military sexual trauma and traumatic brain injuries which require a more nuanced understanding of trauma and accommodation. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosis of an extreme type of adjustment disorder. The person diagnosed with PTSD has “experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event, or events that involved actual or certain death, serious injury, or injury to the
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physical integrity of self and others, and the person's response included intense fear, helplessness, and horror” (Church, 2009, p. 47). Those with PTSD may have intrusive memories, sleep problems, flashbacks, trouble falling asleep, anxiety, irritability, angry outbursts, depression, hopelessness, hyper vigilance, social withdrawal or problems concentrating (Church, 2009; Shea & Fishback, 2012). Soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are also likely to have experienced blasts from improvised explosive devices (IED). Blast injuries alter cell metabolism and result in cell death and traumatic brain injury. The consequences vary for each soldier and may not be visible or even known to the person with mild TBI (Lighthall, 2012). Impairments from TBI can be cognitive, perceptual, behavioral and emotional. All of these symptoms tend to increase when a person is tired or experiencing stimulus overload, not an unusual experience for students (Church, 2009). Even those student veterans who have not been deployed to a war zone have possibly experienced trauma. The “Pentagon estimates that 34 percent of military women and 3 percent of military men have experienced sexual assault” (Roost & Roost, 2014, p. 32). A 2012 survey of active duty members of the military reported that 6.1% of women had experienced unwanted sexual contact in the last year. This is sixteen times higher than that of US women in the same age group in the general population. Military sexual trauma puts women at a higher risk for depression, PTSD, post-military adjustment, eating disorders, alcohol abuse and other mental and physical health problems (Burns, Grindlay, Holt, Manski, & Grossman, 2014). Other indications of psychiatric disabilities manifest in problems with cognitive skills, judgment, memory, concentration, organizational skills, motivation, coping under pressure, side effects from medication, multitasking under time pressure, setting priorities, interacting with others, difficulty in approaching instructors, unexpected changes in course work, and unpredictable absences (Church, 2009). For further information on traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder refer to the Thomas Church, and Shea & Fishback articles in the reference list. Additional information about military sexual trauma can be found in the article by Burns et al. INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE The American Council on Education initially examined the programs and services that post-secondary institutions were offering currently enlisted military and student veterans in 2009. At that time they found that policy makers focused on financial matters, administrative and strategic planning, psychological counseling services, advising and career services, and veterans' offices on campus (Shea & Fishback, 2012). Since then a follow-up survey of 690 institutions indicates areas where higher education is doing well and areas in which improvements can be made. Institutions are doing well by acknowledging the importance of military and veteran students' presence on campus by including them in their strategic plans, increasing programs and services for military veterans, and awarding college credit for military and occupational training. They are providing financial accommodation to those students who are called to active duty while enrolled in classes and helping students navigate the difficulties of Veteran Administration education benefits (McBain, Kim, Cook, & Snead, 2012). The report suggested that improvements can be made by streamlining administrative procedures for active duty students returning from deployments and educating faculty and staff about the needs of the military students and the unique issues faced by these students and their families. Staff with at least some level of training can be a critical factor to the success of military students who are looking for an educational environment that gives them the tools and resources they need to succeed (McBain et al., 2012). In a letter to the editor in the Chronicle of Higher education, James Schmeling (2011), the Managing Director of the Institute of Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, wrote that the training of
faculty and staff who have contact with veteran students should include appropriate referrals for counseling services that include directions with contact information to veteran-administration clinics and hospitals. He also encourages veteran resource centers on campus where veteran students can get peer support and an organizational conduit for veterans interested in improving their campus experience. Additionally, an institutionalized requirement that faculty note on their syllabi that they are open to accommodating the needs of veteran students, if approached individually, will let veterans know that their instructors are aware of possible issues and may be more encouraged to come forward (Roost & Roost, 2014). For further information on evaluating veteran friendly campus read the American Council on Education (ACE) publication by McBain et al., 2012. LIBRARIAN RESPONSE Academic librarians can respond to the needs of veteran students on campus, in the library, and in the classroom in a number of ways. Librarians can attend educational programs provided by their university or community related to student veterans. Library administrators can organize library staff development programs that describe student veteran diversity (Sojdehei, 2013) and possible accommodations the library staff can make to support the veteran student population on their campus. IN THE LIBRARY Outreach directed toward veteran students would demonstrate that they are welcomed by the library staff. Outreach efforts could be in the way of displays that commemorate national holidays, such as Veteran's Day (Helton, 2010; Sojdehei, 2013), the promotion of the library's services through social media and campus Web sites, a special welcome statement for student veterans on the library website (Sojdehei, 2013), or an open house advertised for student veterans. Librarians could offer information literacy classes framed as “research boot camps” for veteran students to help them through the complexities of research (Helton, 2010) and visit the campus student veteran office to offer specially-designed library services, onsite and/or at the library (Sojdehei, 2013). Additionally, continued provision of resources via web guides, bulletin boards, or other means can assist the institution as a whole to know how to help student veterans and guide veterans themselves. For further information about resources and suggestions for libraries, read the Virginia Sojdehei, Karen Evans and Rae Helton articles listed in the references. IN THE CLASSROOM As instructors, even for one time class visits, librarians should be cognizant of how the classroom social climate can be difficult for student veterans. Along with the alienation reported earlier, some former soldiers perceive a bias against veterans on campus. As librarians discuss the research process and demonstrate database searching they can take care in choosing topics that are not evocative of war trauma. If the issue of war should arise it is recommended that the instructor separate the subject of the military from politics in classroom conversation (Roost & Roost, 2014). Though some have suggested tempering criticism of wars in the classroom, librarians have a professional ethic of neutrality to consider so managing a balanced conversation may be more advisable. Veterans rely on coping strategies in the classroom for possible panic attacks or anxiety related to explosions, gun fire or night missions. Therefore, if there will be a loud noise or if the lights need to be darkened students need to know in advance so they can leave the room if necessary. Because faculty cannot always know what issues student
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veterans are dealing with they can easily mistake coping behaviors for lack of attention or lack of interest in the material. Faculty, including librarians, need to remember that student veterans may behave outside the ordinary expectations until they have adjusted to life outside the war zone. Another way to accommodate coping strategies is to avoid assigned seating as some veterans prefer to sit at the back of the room and may show up early to class to insure they get a seat where they feel safe (Roost & Roost, 2014). LEARNING STYLES Regardless of the stressors from war deployment, veterans are experienced learners. Military instructors are constantly teaching new skills in a classroom setting however, they have a much different teaching style than that of university instructors. Student veterans, therefore, come to higher education with a very distinct style of learning. They are accustomed to being taught “standard operating procedures” (SOP) which includes a systemized approach to almost everything. The way of learning in the university setting is far more creative, with broad, open-ended assignments that encourage self-expression and critical thinking. In addition, expectations vary from class to class due to disciplinary differences. Veterans, though they are experienced and dedicated students, have to adjust to an entirely new learning environment, one more way they are in a constant state of adaptation (Roost & Roost, 2014). Though research is an iterative process with many variables in search terms, limiters, and information sources, it is possible to develop some standard procedures that can be incorporated into library instruction to frame the process. These procedures will also be helpful for other students whose learning styles require more structure. Because military training also includes real world application to skills that are taught (Roost & Roost, 2014), it is helpful to include in instruction sessions how information literacy skills apply outside of the academic environment. PHYSICAL LEARNING PROBLEMS. Some learning issues for veterans have a physical origin but are not visible injuries. Most of the military personnel who were frontline soldiers in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced at least one significant explosion. The impact of a detonated bomb is massive, leaving those in the area with blast-related vision and hearing problems. These problems may require preferential seating in the classroom (Church, 2009). In a large classroom setting wearing a microphone will increase the ability of everyone to hear more clearly and using closed captioned video material will aid those with hearing impairments and will reinforce learning for other students who learn more easily with written information (Lighthall, 2012). Increases in the number of veterans and others with hearing impairments is a reminder to librarians of the importance of purchasing closed captioned media material for the library as well as subscribing to closed captioned streaming media. STRESS RELATED PROBLEMS. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whether from combat or military sexual trauma (MST), cause cognitive problems for student veterans. “Stressed brains don't learn the same way” (Medina, 2008, as cited in Shea and Fishback, 2012, p. 58). PTSD can cause trouble with directing one's attention to appropriate stimuli making it difficult to retain information and can cause increased distractibility and trouble with multitasking (Roost & Roost, 2014). Students who are expected to listen to a lecture, process information, take notes, and discuss new learning in a single class session are operating at a distinct disadvantage if they are also coping with PTSD. Many veterans are unaware of having mild TBI and suffer memory, attention and concentration problems without understanding why. They may have a difficult time sitting still or staying focused in the classroom and in some cases need to leave to compose themselves (Lighthall, 2012). Whether it is because of anxiety or injury-related disorganization, students can have trouble establishing an appropriate
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schedule for school or work activities (Church, 2009) and come to class late or miss class altogether. Because even mild TBI can cause long term trouble with verbal retrieval, the student is likely to be slow to recall names and terms (Roost & Roost, 2014). For this reason asking direct questions to students, which may promote learning for the average student, might cause extreme stress for individuals with memory or anxiety problems (Sinski, 2012). TEACHING STRATEGIES Sinski (2012) recommends some strategies for teaching veterans, though they are also helpful to all students, and not difficult to add to current instruction. First she suggests that the instructor activate prior knowledge before introducing a new concept. This helps students locate a hook on which to hang new information. The use of shopping for a car through different dealers as a metaphor to illustrate the need for exploring different databases for the best information is one use of prior knowledge. Giving students retrieval clues or memory strategies will also help place that information in the student's long term memory and give them easier access to the information later (Sinski, 2012). The CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) for the critical evaluation of information is an example of how a mnemonic is used in library instruction. Students could also design their own memory strategy as part of the class discussion, helping everyone solidify the lesson. Sinski (2012) also recommends experiential learning, something librarians have been doing for some time now, to help new material to be stored for later retrieval. She advises, also, that learning be connected to daily life to enhance interest and comprehension while aiding memory. Connecting information literacy skills to everyday information needs is a good method to teach skills for academic research, reminding students that they will have information needs after leaving the academy. This is an opportune time to stress information evaluation using examples relating to health care, adopting a pet or making a major purchase. Sinski (2012) also recommends software programs that allow students to generate mind maps and programs for planning a timeline for larger projects which provide a series of deadlines for smaller chunks of a large assignment. This type of program will also help all students to organize research tasks and avoid the risk of failing because of being overwhelmed (Sinski, 2012). Librarians can help students locate resources to develop a research timeline or they can embed them in an online library guide or the students' learning management system for a specific class. Graphic organizers, which act as a guide to the lesson with blanks for the student to fill in, assist with note taking and organizing information for all students, including those with TBI (Sinski, 2012). This type of tool can help all students to put in order the material covered in a single bibliographic instruction session and identify salient points of the class session. Because TBI can interfere with abstract thinking (Temple University Disabilities Resources and Services, n.d.), when teaching concepts such as Boolean logic, it aids understanding to go beyond drawing a Venn diagram to illustrating the concept with a class exercise. For instance, asking students wearing tee shirts to stand, then everyone with a tee shirt and a tattoo to stand gives a stronger experiential message. Recording lectures and discussions as well as allowing students to take notes on a laptop will allow them to review and process classroom material in a less distractible environment (Lighthall, 2012). Handouts, class specific library guides, and other teaching objects that can be reviewed after class also provide opportunities for students to go over the material as often as they feel necessary (Sinski, 2012) and in an environment conducive to their learning. Because students may be silent just when they need to ask for help it is imperative that faculty and teaching librarians make themselves available to help students outside of the classroom and to emphasize their availability when talking to students in class (Lighthall, 2012). Discussion forums in a learning management system where students can ask questions about their research and where librarians can post tips or prompts for deadlines can assist all students and increase student success.
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Finally, military training is also embedded with immediate assessment so student veterans are accustomed to feedback on their progress, therefore, they can benefit from rubrics for immediate self-evaluation and to give concrete examples of task expectations. For more information on teaching strategies read the Roost & Roost and Sinski articles found in the reference list. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS Shea and Fishback (2012) suggest that the most important thing that educators, those who are on the front line of the higher education system, can do is to “build a rapport and develop a relationship” (p. 61) with student veterans to let them know they are welcome on campus and in the classroom. They recommend that the acronym PATI: Patience, Awareness, Tolerance, and Inclusion be employed to accomplish these relationships. Understand that things are different for veterans and that they need time to fit in and develop relationships. Be aware that veterans are in the classroom and in the library and may need some accommodations. Tolerate that, having seen war, their perspectives and attitudes may not be that of the traditional student and remember that veterans want to be included but may hesitate to reach out (Shea & Fishback, 2012). Dr. Christina Lafferty and her colleagues (2008), all current or retired military officers, offer these recommendations for faculty working with returning military students: • Do not be anxious about students becoming violent. Behave toward veterans as you would behave toward any other student. • It is alright to say thank you for service but do not fuss. • Curb your politics. Most members of the military keep their politics to themselves and many do not have strong political stances. Many will tell you they are in the military because of patriotism, not politics. • Channel your curiosity. Ask about medals, show interest in a person's experience, and listen but do not probe. • It is not about you if a veteran does not want to talk about their experience. It is about their right to privacy. • Do not ask about PTSD or other diagnoses. If you see a person struggling approach him or her as you would anyone else, privately asking “You seem a bit tense lately. Is there anything I can do to help?” • Know the resources available on your campus and community so that you can help direct a student to someone who can address these problems (Lafferty et al., 2008).
CONCLUSION Having discussed numerous challenges and difficulties of the student veteran it might be easy to forget that veterans are one of our country's “greatest untapped human resources” (Lighthall, 2012, p. 89). They bring emotional maturity, professionalism, motivation, work ethic, and the ability to work as a team into higher education classrooms. They bring the benefits of their military experience in the way of discipline and persistence and translate it into effective study habits in college (Ness & Vroman, 2014). Mark Street, an associate professor at Fordham University said in a commentary in the Chronicle of Higher Education, “These students are worldly, broad-minded, hungry for knowledge, and ready to work. They expand the horizons of the classroom by their mere presence” (Street, 2014). When presented with information at a conference about student veterans, librarians “voiced their appreciation for spotlighting a topic
that calls for librarians to respond and asked how they, as librarians, could assist student veterans with their academic needs” (Sojdehei, 2013, p. 538). With an increased understanding of the experience of the veteran student, academic librarians have the privilege of serving those who served just as they have accommodated other specific populations who need support in adjusting to the higher education environment. REFERENCES Anderson, Julia (2012). Warriors in the academy: Veterans transition from the military to higher education. (Master's thesis, Available from) George Mason University Archival Repository (Retrieved from http://digilib.gmu.edu/xmlui/handle/1920/7992). Barry, Adam E., Whiteman, Shawn D., & Wadsworth, Shelley W. (2014). Student service members/veterans in higher education: A systematic review. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 51(1), 30–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jsarp-20140003. Burns, Bridgit, Grindlay, Kate, Holt, Kelsey, Manski, Ruth, & Grossman, Daniel (2014). Military sexual trauma among US servicewomen during deployment: A qualitative study. American Journal of Public Health, 104(2), 345–349. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/ AJPH.2013.301576. Callahan, Ron, & Jarrat, Dave (2014). Helping student service members and veterans succeed. Change: the Magazine of Higher Learning Education, 46(2), 36–41. http://dx.doi. org/10.1080/00091383.2014.897189. Church, Thomas E. (2009). Returning veterans on campus with war related injuries and the long road back home. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(1), 43–52. Evans, Karen (2012). Serving those who served us: Resources for active duty soldiers and veterans. College & Research Library News, 73(8), 470–473. Helton, Rae (2010). Diversity dispatch: Libraries—An important campus partner for student veterans. Kentucky Libraries, 74(3), 14–15. Lafferty, Christina L., Alford, Kenneth L., Davis, Mark K., & O'Connor, Richard (2008). “Did you shoot anyone?” A practitioner's guide to combat veteran workplace and classroom reintegration. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 4–11. Lighthall, Alison (2012, falll). Ten things you should know about today's student veteran. National Education Association: Thought & Action, 81–90 (Retrieved from http://www. nea.org/home/53407.htm). Manderscheid, R. W. (2007). Helping veterans return: Community, family and job. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 21(2), 122–124. McBain, Leslie, Kim, Young M., Cook, Bryan J., & Snead, Kathy M. (2012). From soldier to student II: Assessing campus programs for veterans and service members. American Council on Education (7–10, 47–48, Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu/newsroom/Pages/From-Soldier-to-Student-II.aspx). Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home and school. Seattle, WA: Pear Press. Ness, Bryan M., & Vroman, Kerryellen (2014). Preliminary examination of the impact of traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder on self-regulated learning and academic achievement among military service members enrolled in postsecondary education. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 29(1), 33–43. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1097/HTR.0b013e3182a1cd4e. Roost, Alisa, & Roost, Noah (2014). Supporting veterans in the classroom. Academe American Association of University Professors, 100(3), 31–34 (Retrieved from http:// www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3324285911.html). Schmeling, James (2011). Engaged faculty members can help veterans in the classroom. [Letter to the Editor] Chronicle of Higher Education, 58(11). Shea, Kevin Peter, & Fishback, Sarah Jane (2012). Impact of cumulative combat stress on learning in an academic environment. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 136, 53–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ace.20035. Sinski, Jennifer Blevins (2012). Classroom strategies for teaching veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 25(1), 87–95. Sojdehei, Virginia (2013). Boots to books: Helping college student veterans through library outreach and engagement programs. College & Research Library News, 74, 537–538. Street, Mark (2014). Military veterans bring value to the classroom. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 60(32), 30–32. Temple University Disabilities Resources and Services (d). Traumatic brain injury. Retrieved from http://www.temple.edu/studentaffairs/disability/documents/ TraumaticBrainInjury.docx U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs (2014). Education program beneficiaries: FY2000 to FY2013. Retrieved from www.va.gov/vetdata/utilization.asp
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
The Journal of Academic Librarianship
The Veteran Student Experience and the Academic Librarian Sue F. Phelps ⁎ The Library, Washington State University Vancouver, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98686-9600, USA
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Article history: Received 19 December 2014 Accepted 3 April 2015 Available online 18 April 2015 Keywords: Veterans Veteran students Higher education Post-traumatic stress syndrome Traumatic brain injury Military sexual trauma
a b s t r a c t With the increase of student veteran enrollment under the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008, colleges and university campuses are beginning to accommodate the needs of this population. Student veterans present unique challenges to institutions of higher education as they are adjusting to a new culture and coping with both visible and invisible injuries. Some of these war-related injuries affect behavior in both classroom and extracurricular settings and some result in learning disabilities. Librarians who understand the experiences of student veterans can better assist these students with their academic goals. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION Colleges and universities in the United States are seeing a large increase in the number of veterans who are enrolling under the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008, more commonly referred to as the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Within the first year of the Post 9/11 GI Bill over 300,000 service men and women enrolled in college. The 2013 fiscal year saw 754,229 veterans enrolled in institutions of higher education, an increase of 107,927 over the previous year (Dept. of Veterans Affairs). Because of the generosity of the new bill, institutions of higher education can expect increasing numbers of the over two million veterans who have served in the Afghanistan and Iraqi conflicts to arrive on college campuses (Barry, Whiteman, & Wadsworth, 2014). As members of the academic community, librarians need to be aware of the challenges of veteran students in order to support the students in the library and in the classroom. Though there is a rapid increase in the number of student veterans there has not been a corresponding increase in the understanding of the issues of this group of students as compared to other subgroups such as athletes, nontraditional students, gay and lesbian students, or those in fraternities and sororities (Barry et al., 2014). In her master's thesis Anderson (2012) points out that the research which has been conducted about the current generation of veteran students does not include the “veteran's social and institutional biography and the qualities of higher education institutions that most impact their transition experience” (p. 8). A search of the literature indicates that there are current publications in the disciplines of psychology, disability and higher education that describe how the results of military culture and combat ⁎ Tel.: +1 360 546 9178. E-mail address: [email protected].
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.04.001 0099-1333/© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
history affect the assimilation and learning of the returning soldier. There are also some articles in the library literature which are focused primarily on resources for veterans, programming in libraries, and some good suggestions for how to engage veteran students (Helton, 2010; Evans, 2012; Sojdehei, 2013). With the increasing population of student veterans on college campuses it is essential that the academic community, including librarians, be prepared to serve the veteran population. This paper will describe the experiences of the veteran students synthesized from research in education, disability services and psychology and suggest accommodations that librarians can make to support the transition from a military to academic environment and to facilitate student learning. It is worth noting that any programming or adjustments to instruction to accommodate student veterans will have the likely advantage of benefiting all students. THE WAR EXPERIENCE Many of the veteran students are returning from active duty in combat, frequently with a history of multiple deployments. As a result of the unique culture of the military and the consequences of experiencing combat, they present on our college campuses with issues unlike those of most other students. Academic institutions must prepare to address the issues of veteran students both in and out of the classroom (Shea & Fishback, 2012). The war on terror, unlike previous conflicts, is “a different kind of war” (Lafferty, Alford, Davis, & O'Connor, 2008) creating a different set of circumstances and a unique set of adjustments to civilian life for today's veteran. There are three distinctions that affect reintegration for the veteran returning from Iraq or Afghanistan as compared to those returning from prior wars: the tour of duty length and pattern, the danger level, and disengagement from civilian culture (Manderscheid, 2007, as cited in Lafferty, Alford, Davis, & O'Connor,
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2008). Lafferty et al. (2008) add two more: uncertainty of duration and the types of casualties brought on by the war on terror. Historically combatants were deployed for a twelve month period and were reasonably assured that they would only be deployed one time. Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan, however, can extend to two years and many are deployed more than once. The pattern is unpredictable. The war itself differs from previous conflicts in that there are no safe zones and even those who are not in an area of combat are at risk of attack from snipers or of detonating a hidden improvised explosive device (IED). There is an additional stressor brought on by the uncertainty of how long the conflict itself is likely to continue. It feels to some as if it is never ending (Lafferty et al., 2008). Additionally, the war has required the deployment of a large number of National Guard and Reserve forces who do not have the same intensity of experience as active duty soldiers nor do they have the same support when they return from duty. Finally, with the improvements in armor and battlefield medicine, soldiers who would likely have not survived in previous wars are now surviving with physical and psychological injuries in numbers that exceed those of previous conflicts (Lafferty et al., 2008; Church, 2009). The veteran students who enter the college classrooms and libraries bring both visible and invisible injuries with them. For this reason college administration and faculty need to evaluate the needs of these students and make changes to support student success. THE STUDENT VETERAN Education in general is demonstratively important in the Army and other armed services where new recruits initially attend school in basic training. They then continue to attend several professional development schools during enlistment for promotion and training for specific jobs. Further, enlisted men and women are also encouraged to obtain a bachelor's degree during enlistment while officers are encouraged to pursue a graduate degree (Shea & Fishback, 2012). Often soldiers were motivated to join the military as a means of financing higher education with most soldiers using GI benefits to pay for college after they are out of the military. Others, who had not initially planned to use the education benefits of military service, see college as a buffer between the military and the civilian world at the time of discharge (Lighthall, 2012). The military instills the confidence to plan for success, overcome challenges, and follow through on commitments, but often student veterans need help in translating these abilities to school and an already busy life. Many are first generation college students and although they may have more life experience they still face the challenges of not knowing where to go for help, what questions to ask, and how to advocate for themselves within the academic system. They need to learn the language of higher education as they once learned the jargon of the military (Callahan & Jarrat, 2014). CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT The change from the military culture to the civilian culture of the university can be described as a dual process; one of “creating a narrative” and one of “becoming an ex” so individuals are at once being socialized into a new identity and dealing with the lasting effects of the previous one (Ebaugh as cited in Anderson, 2012). Lighthall writes that “former military personnel report feeling not just disoriented, but deeply alienated from the rest of America; not just sad over the loss of friendships, but devastated over the loss of brothers and sisters; not just a temporary destabilizing of identity, but a complete identity crisis” (Lighthall, 2012, pp. 81–82). Additionally, being a veteran is more of a title than a role with a defined direction (Anderson, 2012), having far more to do with who a person was, not who they are. At the same time the veteran student is becoming an ex-soldier they are becoming a civilian student.
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Veterans find themselves in a completely different culture when they transition from the structured comfort zone of the military to the unrestricted civilian academic world. A veteran officer who transitioned directly from a combat unit to a civilian university said in a research interview, “I was in a graduate program…and the majority of them [classmates] were civilians, and I was coming straight out of combat into a very liberal academic environment. I came to the understanding that the civilians, along with the instructors, did not understand the fight in Iraq or Afghanistan, or the big picture of what's going on between the East and West, and they took a very academic approach, as if the academic approach will always solve the problem” (Shea & Fishback, 2012, p. 56). Because of this difference of experience and perspective a veteran can have difficulty communicating with civilian peers and finding their way in the environment of the university, often feeling isolated because they are surrounded by students who have no understanding of their military or combat experience. To add to that student veterans often have spouses, children and jobs which set them apart from the traditional students with which they share the classroom. An aspect of the veteran transition experience that has received little attention is the impact of pre-military socioeconomic class. In the current all-volunteer military, enlisted members are disproportionately from low-income or working class backgrounds and have the usual characteristics of first generation college students as well as classspecific behaviors and attitudes. The working class or poor families, as described by Anderson (2012), “are more likely to adopt a deferential stance toward authority… more passively receive information without questioning it, and may find the kind of reasoning and challenging of knowledge that characterize learning in higher education to be both unfamiliar and uncomfortable” (p. 34). Military service reinforces these characteristics. Callahan and Jarrat (2014) report that the military, in fact, often expects service members to fulfill duties without complaint regardless of the circumstances, therefore veteran students are hesitant to advocate for themselves. They are likened in some cases to international students in this regard and need to have coaching on when and how to express concerns constructively. TRAUMA HISTORY AND POST COMBAT ISSUES In discussing trauma it is important to remember that all veterans are not the same. Even those who have been in combat have had different types of experiences so there is no accurate generalization about trauma history (Roost, A. & Roost, N, 2014). It is not important to know the details of each veteran's experience, but it is important to understand the way they, as a population, perceive themselves and their experience. It is necessary to keep in mind that trauma is an injury, not a mental illness and that veterans do not want to be seen as victims. They see themselves as powerful warriors and “retain their self-belief of being ‘bulletproof’” (Lighthall, 2012, p. 82) therefore it is in their military character to resist asking for help. Women in the military have to cope with being in what is still a man's domain so they have to do everything “better, faster, and smarter” to earn the respect of the men (Lighthall, 2012, p. 87). This tough independence can carry over to the academic environment. There are three major types of trauma common in veterans returning from combat. They are physical injuries, mental health injuries including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and military sexual trauma (MST), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Physical injuries are often more easily seen and accommodated and are most often addressed by campus disability services. This paper will focus on the less visible injuries of post traumatic stress, military sexual trauma and traumatic brain injuries which require a more nuanced understanding of trauma and accommodation. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosis of an extreme type of adjustment disorder. The person diagnosed with PTSD has “experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event, or events that involved actual or certain death, serious injury, or injury to the
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physical integrity of self and others, and the person's response included intense fear, helplessness, and horror” (Church, 2009, p. 47). Those with PTSD may have intrusive memories, sleep problems, flashbacks, trouble falling asleep, anxiety, irritability, angry outbursts, depression, hopelessness, hyper vigilance, social withdrawal or problems concentrating (Church, 2009; Shea & Fishback, 2012). Soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are also likely to have experienced blasts from improvised explosive devices (IED). Blast injuries alter cell metabolism and result in cell death and traumatic brain injury. The consequences vary for each soldier and may not be visible or even known to the person with mild TBI (Lighthall, 2012). Impairments from TBI can be cognitive, perceptual, behavioral and emotional. All of these symptoms tend to increase when a person is tired or experiencing stimulus overload, not an unusual experience for students (Church, 2009). Even those student veterans who have not been deployed to a war zone have possibly experienced trauma. The “Pentagon estimates that 34 percent of military women and 3 percent of military men have experienced sexual assault” (Roost & Roost, 2014, p. 32). A 2012 survey of active duty members of the military reported that 6.1% of women had experienced unwanted sexual contact in the last year. This is sixteen times higher than that of US women in the same age group in the general population. Military sexual trauma puts women at a higher risk for depression, PTSD, post-military adjustment, eating disorders, alcohol abuse and other mental and physical health problems (Burns, Grindlay, Holt, Manski, & Grossman, 2014). Other indications of psychiatric disabilities manifest in problems with cognitive skills, judgment, memory, concentration, organizational skills, motivation, coping under pressure, side effects from medication, multitasking under time pressure, setting priorities, interacting with others, difficulty in approaching instructors, unexpected changes in course work, and unpredictable absences (Church, 2009). For further information on traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder refer to the Thomas Church, and Shea & Fishback articles in the reference list. Additional information about military sexual trauma can be found in the article by Burns et al. INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE The American Council on Education initially examined the programs and services that post-secondary institutions were offering currently enlisted military and student veterans in 2009. At that time they found that policy makers focused on financial matters, administrative and strategic planning, psychological counseling services, advising and career services, and veterans' offices on campus (Shea & Fishback, 2012). Since then a follow-up survey of 690 institutions indicates areas where higher education is doing well and areas in which improvements can be made. Institutions are doing well by acknowledging the importance of military and veteran students' presence on campus by including them in their strategic plans, increasing programs and services for military veterans, and awarding college credit for military and occupational training. They are providing financial accommodation to those students who are called to active duty while enrolled in classes and helping students navigate the difficulties of Veteran Administration education benefits (McBain, Kim, Cook, & Snead, 2012). The report suggested that improvements can be made by streamlining administrative procedures for active duty students returning from deployments and educating faculty and staff about the needs of the military students and the unique issues faced by these students and their families. Staff with at least some level of training can be a critical factor to the success of military students who are looking for an educational environment that gives them the tools and resources they need to succeed (McBain et al., 2012). In a letter to the editor in the Chronicle of Higher education, James Schmeling (2011), the Managing Director of the Institute of Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, wrote that the training of
faculty and staff who have contact with veteran students should include appropriate referrals for counseling services that include directions with contact information to veteran-administration clinics and hospitals. He also encourages veteran resource centers on campus where veteran students can get peer support and an organizational conduit for veterans interested in improving their campus experience. Additionally, an institutionalized requirement that faculty note on their syllabi that they are open to accommodating the needs of veteran students, if approached individually, will let veterans know that their instructors are aware of possible issues and may be more encouraged to come forward (Roost & Roost, 2014). For further information on evaluating veteran friendly campus read the American Council on Education (ACE) publication by McBain et al., 2012. LIBRARIAN RESPONSE Academic librarians can respond to the needs of veteran students on campus, in the library, and in the classroom in a number of ways. Librarians can attend educational programs provided by their university or community related to student veterans. Library administrators can organize library staff development programs that describe student veteran diversity (Sojdehei, 2013) and possible accommodations the library staff can make to support the veteran student population on their campus. IN THE LIBRARY Outreach directed toward veteran students would demonstrate that they are welcomed by the library staff. Outreach efforts could be in the way of displays that commemorate national holidays, such as Veteran's Day (Helton, 2010; Sojdehei, 2013), the promotion of the library's services through social media and campus Web sites, a special welcome statement for student veterans on the library website (Sojdehei, 2013), or an open house advertised for student veterans. Librarians could offer information literacy classes framed as “research boot camps” for veteran students to help them through the complexities of research (Helton, 2010) and visit the campus student veteran office to offer specially-designed library services, onsite and/or at the library (Sojdehei, 2013). Additionally, continued provision of resources via web guides, bulletin boards, or other means can assist the institution as a whole to know how to help student veterans and guide veterans themselves. For further information about resources and suggestions for libraries, read the Virginia Sojdehei, Karen Evans and Rae Helton articles listed in the references. IN THE CLASSROOM As instructors, even for one time class visits, librarians should be cognizant of how the classroom social climate can be difficult for student veterans. Along with the alienation reported earlier, some former soldiers perceive a bias against veterans on campus. As librarians discuss the research process and demonstrate database searching they can take care in choosing topics that are not evocative of war trauma. If the issue of war should arise it is recommended that the instructor separate the subject of the military from politics in classroom conversation (Roost & Roost, 2014). Though some have suggested tempering criticism of wars in the classroom, librarians have a professional ethic of neutrality to consider so managing a balanced conversation may be more advisable. Veterans rely on coping strategies in the classroom for possible panic attacks or anxiety related to explosions, gun fire or night missions. Therefore, if there will be a loud noise or if the lights need to be darkened students need to know in advance so they can leave the room if necessary. Because faculty cannot always know what issues student
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veterans are dealing with they can easily mistake coping behaviors for lack of attention or lack of interest in the material. Faculty, including librarians, need to remember that student veterans may behave outside the ordinary expectations until they have adjusted to life outside the war zone. Another way to accommodate coping strategies is to avoid assigned seating as some veterans prefer to sit at the back of the room and may show up early to class to insure they get a seat where they feel safe (Roost & Roost, 2014). LEARNING STYLES Regardless of the stressors from war deployment, veterans are experienced learners. Military instructors are constantly teaching new skills in a classroom setting however, they have a much different teaching style than that of university instructors. Student veterans, therefore, come to higher education with a very distinct style of learning. They are accustomed to being taught “standard operating procedures” (SOP) which includes a systemized approach to almost everything. The way of learning in the university setting is far more creative, with broad, open-ended assignments that encourage self-expression and critical thinking. In addition, expectations vary from class to class due to disciplinary differences. Veterans, though they are experienced and dedicated students, have to adjust to an entirely new learning environment, one more way they are in a constant state of adaptation (Roost & Roost, 2014). Though research is an iterative process with many variables in search terms, limiters, and information sources, it is possible to develop some standard procedures that can be incorporated into library instruction to frame the process. These procedures will also be helpful for other students whose learning styles require more structure. Because military training also includes real world application to skills that are taught (Roost & Roost, 2014), it is helpful to include in instruction sessions how information literacy skills apply outside of the academic environment. PHYSICAL LEARNING PROBLEMS. Some learning issues for veterans have a physical origin but are not visible injuries. Most of the military personnel who were frontline soldiers in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced at least one significant explosion. The impact of a detonated bomb is massive, leaving those in the area with blast-related vision and hearing problems. These problems may require preferential seating in the classroom (Church, 2009). In a large classroom setting wearing a microphone will increase the ability of everyone to hear more clearly and using closed captioned video material will aid those with hearing impairments and will reinforce learning for other students who learn more easily with written information (Lighthall, 2012). Increases in the number of veterans and others with hearing impairments is a reminder to librarians of the importance of purchasing closed captioned media material for the library as well as subscribing to closed captioned streaming media. STRESS RELATED PROBLEMS. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whether from combat or military sexual trauma (MST), cause cognitive problems for student veterans. “Stressed brains don't learn the same way” (Medina, 2008, as cited in Shea and Fishback, 2012, p. 58). PTSD can cause trouble with directing one's attention to appropriate stimuli making it difficult to retain information and can cause increased distractibility and trouble with multitasking (Roost & Roost, 2014). Students who are expected to listen to a lecture, process information, take notes, and discuss new learning in a single class session are operating at a distinct disadvantage if they are also coping with PTSD. Many veterans are unaware of having mild TBI and suffer memory, attention and concentration problems without understanding why. They may have a difficult time sitting still or staying focused in the classroom and in some cases need to leave to compose themselves (Lighthall, 2012). Whether it is because of anxiety or injury-related disorganization, students can have trouble establishing an appropriate
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schedule for school or work activities (Church, 2009) and come to class late or miss class altogether. Because even mild TBI can cause long term trouble with verbal retrieval, the student is likely to be slow to recall names and terms (Roost & Roost, 2014). For this reason asking direct questions to students, which may promote learning for the average student, might cause extreme stress for individuals with memory or anxiety problems (Sinski, 2012). TEACHING STRATEGIES Sinski (2012) recommends some strategies for teaching veterans, though they are also helpful to all students, and not difficult to add to current instruction. First she suggests that the instructor activate prior knowledge before introducing a new concept. This helps students locate a hook on which to hang new information. The use of shopping for a car through different dealers as a metaphor to illustrate the need for exploring different databases for the best information is one use of prior knowledge. Giving students retrieval clues or memory strategies will also help place that information in the student's long term memory and give them easier access to the information later (Sinski, 2012). The CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) for the critical evaluation of information is an example of how a mnemonic is used in library instruction. Students could also design their own memory strategy as part of the class discussion, helping everyone solidify the lesson. Sinski (2012) also recommends experiential learning, something librarians have been doing for some time now, to help new material to be stored for later retrieval. She advises, also, that learning be connected to daily life to enhance interest and comprehension while aiding memory. Connecting information literacy skills to everyday information needs is a good method to teach skills for academic research, reminding students that they will have information needs after leaving the academy. This is an opportune time to stress information evaluation using examples relating to health care, adopting a pet or making a major purchase. Sinski (2012) also recommends software programs that allow students to generate mind maps and programs for planning a timeline for larger projects which provide a series of deadlines for smaller chunks of a large assignment. This type of program will also help all students to organize research tasks and avoid the risk of failing because of being overwhelmed (Sinski, 2012). Librarians can help students locate resources to develop a research timeline or they can embed them in an online library guide or the students' learning management system for a specific class. Graphic organizers, which act as a guide to the lesson with blanks for the student to fill in, assist with note taking and organizing information for all students, including those with TBI (Sinski, 2012). This type of tool can help all students to put in order the material covered in a single bibliographic instruction session and identify salient points of the class session. Because TBI can interfere with abstract thinking (Temple University Disabilities Resources and Services, n.d.), when teaching concepts such as Boolean logic, it aids understanding to go beyond drawing a Venn diagram to illustrating the concept with a class exercise. For instance, asking students wearing tee shirts to stand, then everyone with a tee shirt and a tattoo to stand gives a stronger experiential message. Recording lectures and discussions as well as allowing students to take notes on a laptop will allow them to review and process classroom material in a less distractible environment (Lighthall, 2012). Handouts, class specific library guides, and other teaching objects that can be reviewed after class also provide opportunities for students to go over the material as often as they feel necessary (Sinski, 2012) and in an environment conducive to their learning. Because students may be silent just when they need to ask for help it is imperative that faculty and teaching librarians make themselves available to help students outside of the classroom and to emphasize their availability when talking to students in class (Lighthall, 2012). Discussion forums in a learning management system where students can ask questions about their research and where librarians can post tips or prompts for deadlines can assist all students and increase student success.
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Finally, military training is also embedded with immediate assessment so student veterans are accustomed to feedback on their progress, therefore, they can benefit from rubrics for immediate self-evaluation and to give concrete examples of task expectations. For more information on teaching strategies read the Roost & Roost and Sinski articles found in the reference list. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS Shea and Fishback (2012) suggest that the most important thing that educators, those who are on the front line of the higher education system, can do is to “build a rapport and develop a relationship” (p. 61) with student veterans to let them know they are welcome on campus and in the classroom. They recommend that the acronym PATI: Patience, Awareness, Tolerance, and Inclusion be employed to accomplish these relationships. Understand that things are different for veterans and that they need time to fit in and develop relationships. Be aware that veterans are in the classroom and in the library and may need some accommodations. Tolerate that, having seen war, their perspectives and attitudes may not be that of the traditional student and remember that veterans want to be included but may hesitate to reach out (Shea & Fishback, 2012). Dr. Christina Lafferty and her colleagues (2008), all current or retired military officers, offer these recommendations for faculty working with returning military students: • Do not be anxious about students becoming violent. Behave toward veterans as you would behave toward any other student. • It is alright to say thank you for service but do not fuss. • Curb your politics. Most members of the military keep their politics to themselves and many do not have strong political stances. Many will tell you they are in the military because of patriotism, not politics. • Channel your curiosity. Ask about medals, show interest in a person's experience, and listen but do not probe. • It is not about you if a veteran does not want to talk about their experience. It is about their right to privacy. • Do not ask about PTSD or other diagnoses. If you see a person struggling approach him or her as you would anyone else, privately asking “You seem a bit tense lately. Is there anything I can do to help?” • Know the resources available on your campus and community so that you can help direct a student to someone who can address these problems (Lafferty et al., 2008).
CONCLUSION Having discussed numerous challenges and difficulties of the student veteran it might be easy to forget that veterans are one of our country's “greatest untapped human resources” (Lighthall, 2012, p. 89). They bring emotional maturity, professionalism, motivation, work ethic, and the ability to work as a team into higher education classrooms. They bring the benefits of their military experience in the way of discipline and persistence and translate it into effective study habits in college (Ness & Vroman, 2014). Mark Street, an associate professor at Fordham University said in a commentary in the Chronicle of Higher Education, “These students are worldly, broad-minded, hungry for knowledge, and ready to work. They expand the horizons of the classroom by their mere presence” (Street, 2014). When presented with information at a conference about student veterans, librarians “voiced their appreciation for spotlighting a topic
that calls for librarians to respond and asked how they, as librarians, could assist student veterans with their academic needs” (Sojdehei, 2013, p. 538). With an increased understanding of the experience of the veteran student, academic librarians have the privilege of serving those who served just as they have accommodated other specific populations who need support in adjusting to the higher education environment. REFERENCES Anderson, Julia (2012). Warriors in the academy: Veterans transition from the military to higher education. (Master's thesis, Available from) George Mason University Archival Repository (Retrieved from http://digilib.gmu.edu/xmlui/handle/1920/7992). Barry, Adam E., Whiteman, Shawn D., & Wadsworth, Shelley W. (2014). Student service members/veterans in higher education: A systematic review. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 51(1), 30–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jsarp-20140003. Burns, Bridgit, Grindlay, Kate, Holt, Kelsey, Manski, Ruth, & Grossman, Daniel (2014). Military sexual trauma among US servicewomen during deployment: A qualitative study. American Journal of Public Health, 104(2), 345–349. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/ AJPH.2013.301576. Callahan, Ron, & Jarrat, Dave (2014). Helping student service members and veterans succeed. Change: the Magazine of Higher Learning Education, 46(2), 36–41. http://dx.doi. org/10.1080/00091383.2014.897189. Church, Thomas E. (2009). Returning veterans on campus with war related injuries and the long road back home. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(1), 43–52. Evans, Karen (2012). Serving those who served us: Resources for active duty soldiers and veterans. College & Research Library News, 73(8), 470–473. Helton, Rae (2010). Diversity dispatch: Libraries—An important campus partner for student veterans. Kentucky Libraries, 74(3), 14–15. Lafferty, Christina L., Alford, Kenneth L., Davis, Mark K., & O'Connor, Richard (2008). “Did you shoot anyone?” A practitioner's guide to combat veteran workplace and classroom reintegration. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 4–11. Lighthall, Alison (2012, falll). Ten things you should know about today's student veteran. National Education Association: Thought & Action, 81–90 (Retrieved from http://www. nea.org/home/53407.htm). Manderscheid, R. W. (2007). Helping veterans return: Community, family and job. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 21(2), 122–124. McBain, Leslie, Kim, Young M., Cook, Bryan J., & Snead, Kathy M. (2012). From soldier to student II: Assessing campus programs for veterans and service members. American Council on Education (7–10, 47–48, Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu/newsroom/Pages/From-Soldier-to-Student-II.aspx). Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home and school. Seattle, WA: Pear Press. Ness, Bryan M., & Vroman, Kerryellen (2014). Preliminary examination of the impact of traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder on self-regulated learning and academic achievement among military service members enrolled in postsecondary education. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 29(1), 33–43. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1097/HTR.0b013e3182a1cd4e. Roost, Alisa, & Roost, Noah (2014). Supporting veterans in the classroom. Academe American Association of University Professors, 100(3), 31–34 (Retrieved from http:// www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3324285911.html). Schmeling, James (2011). Engaged faculty members can help veterans in the classroom. [Letter to the Editor] Chronicle of Higher Education, 58(11). Shea, Kevin Peter, & Fishback, Sarah Jane (2012). Impact of cumulative combat stress on learning in an academic environment. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 136, 53–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ace.20035. Sinski, Jennifer Blevins (2012). Classroom strategies for teaching veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 25(1), 87–95. Sojdehei, Virginia (2013). Boots to books: Helping college student veterans through library outreach and engagement programs. College & Research Library News, 74, 537–538. Street, Mark (2014). Military veterans bring value to the classroom. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 60(32), 30–32. Temple University Disabilities Resources and Services (d). Traumatic brain injury. Retrieved from http://www.temple.edu/studentaffairs/disability/documents/ TraumaticBrainInjury.docx U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs (2014). Education program beneficiaries: FY2000 to FY2013. Retrieved from www.va.gov/vetdata/utilization.asp