Veterans Returning From War Into The Classroom: How Can Colleges Be Better Prepared To Meet Their Needs

Abstract

Colleges throughout the country are bracing for a large influx of returning veterans over the next couple of years and the question is whether they can meet the needs of this population. There is a paucity of empirical literature on Iraqi and/or Afghan veterans’ adjustment in the college arena and the factors that mitigate the attrition rate and facilitate success. This research offers a glimpse into the lives of the veterans returning into college life. An important implication of this research is to better inform educators, mental health professionals and administrators with regard to policy making, program development and restructuring efforts. A qualitative research design using structured interviews to obtain information about returning veterans from Afghanistan and/or Iraq was used in this study. This study discusses the many challenges that soldiers face when they return into the classroom. Experiencing symptoms of PTSD is an issue exacerbating the transition into student life. Campus health and counseling officials should have knowledge regarding symptoms and treatment strategies for PTSD and have an extensive referral list for veterans.

Veterans in the College Classroom

“…Moreover, the buddy system-important in a war zone-becomes a fundamental part of the service member's thinking process (Hall, 2009). Student veterans with PTSD or TBI may have conditions affecting their ability to follow classroom or training protocols and expectations (National Center for PTSD, 2012; Zinger & Cohen, 2010). We recommend faculty develop rules of conduct for classroom discourse consisting of protocols and expectations for students' behavior during classroom discourse and consequences for rule infractions.…”

Veterans’ Transitions to Community College: A Case Study

“…Veterans also have problems reestablishing relationships upon their homecoming trying to maintain relationships with people who will never share or understand war-time service is complicated and arduous (Rumann & Hamrick, 2010;Zinger & Cohen, 2010). Family members and significant others have trouble understanding soldiers' experiences, which often leads to feelings of frustration and isolation for veterans (DiRamio et al, 2008).…”

Beyond "thank you": recommended modalities for meaningful civilian-military discourse

“…3). For example, in Zinger and Cohen's (2010) empirical study about the difficulties of transitioning from combat to the college classroom, a young student veteran stated, "I felt uncomfortable at times when they focused their attention on my military experiences" (p. 43), while several others pointed to not wanting to be, "put on a pedestal" (p. 44).…”