This document provides an overview of working with military families in higher education. It discusses the military culture, deployment cycle, concept of "battlemind," challenges facing military families, efforts to support them, and resources. The presentation aims to help higher education professionals better understand and support student veterans and their families. It covers topics like the deployment cycle, possible mental health issues, barriers student veterans may face, and ways for campuses to be more military-friendly. Resources for additional information and support are also listed.

1. Working With Military Families
in Higher Education
JAMES MCAULEY, LAMFT
CLADDAGH COUNSELING

2. Tips for the Webex
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 We will go through the presentation and then
have time for Q&A
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during the presentation

3. OBJECTIVES
• GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MILITARY
CULTURE
• DEPLOYMENT CYCLE
• BATTLEMIND IN HIGHER EDUCATION
• MILITARY FAMILIES
• EFFORTS
• RESOURCES

4. Statistics on Veterans
Since September 11, 2001:
 Over 1.6 Million members of the U.S. Armed Forces have deployed
in support of OIF/OEF
52% Active Duty
48% Reserve & National Guard
 More than 400,000 have sought care from a VAMC
 It is anticipated that this number will increase to over 700,000
over the next few years.
 Demographics: 75% between the age of 20-39
88% male 12% female
92% enlisted 8% officer
Air Force- 19% Army 52% USMC 13% Navy 16%

5. THE MILITARY CULTURE
• Unique in it‟s diversity • Responsibilities and
• Drills and Ceremonies Relationships
• Ethics and Values • Awards and Badges
• Health and Fitness • Esprit De Corps
• Code of Conduct
• Gender Roles

6. THE MILITARY CULTURE con‟t
• Different Branch‟s Component‟s
– Army- Reserve-National
Guard
– Navy Reserve
– Marine Corps Reserve
– Air Force Reserve, Air Guard
– Coast Guard Reserve

7. THE MILITARY CULTURE
con‟t
• Our own language-
– Military acronyms
– Military time ( 1900 hrs = 7:00 pm)
– Military Phonetic Alphabet (Alpha, Bravo,
Charlie)

8. Specific Military Characteristics
• Army Seven Values- Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service, Honor,
Integrity, Courage
• Navy Core Values- Honor, Courage, Commitment
• Air Force Core Values- Service before self, Excellence in all
we do, Integrity first
• The Marine Corps Values: Honor, Courage, Commitment
• Coast Guard Values: Honor, Respect, Devotion to Duty

9. Deployment Cycle
Pre-
Deployment
Post-
Deployment
deployment
Re-
Sustainment
deployment

10. Phase I Pre-Deployment
• Anticipation of loss vs. denial
• Train up- Long Hours
• Getting affairs in order (the checklists)
• Mental/physical distancing
• Arguments
• “Double Bind” you want to spend time with
but you end up distancing yourself

11. Phase II Deployment
• Mixed emotions/relief
• Disoriented overwhelmed
• Numb, sad, alone
• Trouble sleeping
• Security issues
• With kids oppositional behavior, limits,
academic problems

12. Phase III Sustainment
• New routines established
• New sources of support
• Independence- regained control
• Confidence
• Reports of:
• Sadness Depression Anxiety
• Loneliness Anger Feeling Overwhelmed
• Numbness Relief Sleep disturbances
• Health complaints

13. Phase IV Re-Deployment
• Anticipation, excitement
• Apprehension
• Unmet expectations
• Upsetting of newly created routines and
rules

14. Phase V Post-Deployment
• Honeymoon
• Loss of independence
• Need for own space
• Renegotiations
• Reintegration
• Not uncommon for both spouses to have
unrealistic expectations

15. Possible Areas For Concern
1. Multiple deployments are common causing stress and
family attachment issues
2. An April „08 Rand Study reported 37% have either PTSD,
TBI, or significant Mental Stress (5% all 3). Some estimate
>50% return with some form of mental distress
3. Suicide, alcoholism, domestic abuse and violent crimes
rates are rising. Suicide is 33% higher in „07 over ‟06, 50%
higher in „08, and almost equal to „08 by May of ‟09
4. Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is running at 16%-23%
15

16. Possible Areas For Concern
5. In 2008, military children and teens sought outpatient mental health care 2
million times, a 20% increase from „08 and double from the start of the Iraq
war („03)
6. DoD and VA facilities are stretched … the Aug 2009 VA claims backlog is
900,000
7. Many more Reservists & Guard than previous wars (54% as of mid „08) and
they and families are more distant from DoD and VA support facilities
8. Other mental health, marriage, and family problems often occur with or
leading up to PTSD requiring attention so they don‟t get worse
9. Rand Study estimates that PTSD and depression among service members
will cost the nation up to $6.2 billion in the two years after deployment. The
study concludes that investing in proper treatment would actually save $2
billion within two years

17. From the Sandbox to the Snow Blower
• Battlemind includes combat skills and
battle mindset that sustained soldiers
survival in a combat zone.
• Battlemind may be hazardous to soldiers
social and behavioral health in the home
zone (and at work).

18. Battlemind
Successful Transitions
• Adjustment
• Strengths
• Translate Skills
• Effectiveness

19. Battlemind
Professional Combat Skills of
Survival
• Buddies (Cohesion)
• Accountability
• Targeted Aggression
• Tactical Awareness
• Lethally Armed
• Emotionally Controlled
• Mission Operational Security
• Individual Responsibility
• Non-defensive (Combat) Driving
• Discipline and Ordering

20. BATTLEMIND FOR SPOUSES
Bonds (Social Support)
Adding/Subtracting Family Roles
Taking Control
Talking it Out
Loyalty and Commitment
Emotional Balance
Mental Health and Readiness
Independence
Navigating the Army System
Denial of Self (Self-Sacrifice

21. BATTLEMIND FOR HIGHER
EDUCATION
Barriers
Advocacy
Transfer credits
Training/events
Learn from your students experiences
Entitlements/benefits
Making genuine efforts on your campus
Initiating policies
Navigating through the maze of higher education
Demands
Created by J. McAuley copyright pending

22. BATTLEMIND
Barriers-
Identify possible barriers that your
campus may have in place
Take a walk through the shoes of your student
veterans and their families
Survey current students to identify possible barriers

23. BATTLEMIND
Advocacy-
Who on your campus advocates for
student veterans, current/prior military and
their families?
Student veterans Organization
Local veterans support groups

24. BATTLEMIND
Transfer Credits
What is your campuses policy with
accepting military credits?

25. BATTLEMIND
Training/Events
Staff/faculty trainings
Students
Campus Community
Student Veterans, military, families

26. BATTLEMIND
Learn from your students
These men/women and their families can be
great leaders on your campuses in many ways.
Tap into their experiences in the classroom,
SVO, Student Senate, Frat/Sorority, Athletics,
Academics

27. BATTLEMIND
Entitlements/Benefits
This is an ever changing world
Great increase with Post 9/11 GI Bill
Transfer of benefits to dependents
Scholarships, Grants

28. BATTLEMIND
Making genuine efforts on your campus
Go to the trainings on your campus/community
Don‟t just do things for the media/ politics
Veterans friendly campus?
Sustained efforts (more long term than short
term)
Engage your SVO and their families with your
campus community

29. BATTLEMIND
Initiating Policies-
Admission
Financial Aid
Excused absences
Classroom
Transfer credits
Educate Staff on policies
Gathering data

30. BATTLEMIND
Navigating the maze of higher education
One stop shop
Veterans Resource Center
Identify specific staff in departments
Specific advising/registration days
Hire campus staff

31. BATTLEMIND
Demands
Appointments
Drill weekends
Activations

32. Military Families
• Over 700,000 children in the U.S. have at least one
parent deployed
• 43% AD and 43% RES/NG troops have at least one
child
• There are over 37 million dependents of Veterans of all
era’s
• 50-60% of spouses of veterans with a TBI have reported
having depression

33. Military Families
• Stressors
– Change in school/job
– Loss/reduction in income
– Risk of injury/death
– 2nd or 3rd deployment
– Studies show that the longer the deployment spouse satisfaction
with military life decreases
– Lack of support
– Deployed SM missing important events
– Childcare
– Communications

34. Efforts
• Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
• MDVA-LSS CORE
• VAMC
• Military OneSource
• Warrior to Citizen-
• FRC/FRG/FAC
• Hiring staff -
• Veterans Taskforce/ Advisory committee

35. Efforts
Campuses- U of M, U of SD, U of I, UMASS, NJ,
State- CA, NY, MN, MA, TX, ID, NJ
Student Veterans of America- 200 Student Groups
School Systems- MNSCU, MASS, NJ, CA, TX, IA
OperationVets- RI
MDVA-Higher Education Veterans Program
SERV- Cleveland State University
Operation College Promise- NJ

36. Additional Resources
• Military Onesource
www.militaryonesource.com
list of organizations statewide
http://4militaryfamilies.com/
• Minnesota Veteran
www.minnesotaveteran.org
• National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
www.ptsd.va.gov
• Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
www.btyr.org
County Veteran Service Officer- http://www.macvso.org/

37. Additional Resources
• Wounded Warrior Program
www.woundedwarriorproject.org
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
www.samhsa.gov
• Brain Injury Assoc. of Minnesota
www.braininjurymn.org/
• Army‟s Hooah 4 Health
www.hooha4health.com
• American Red Cross: http://redcross.org
• TRICARE: http://www.tricare.osd.mil
• Employer Support of the Reserve and Guard
www.esgr.org

38. Additional Resources
• National Military Family Association- www.nmfa.org
• Military Homefront- www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil
• 4 military families- www.4militaryfamilies.com
• Military Family Research Institute @ Purdue
www.mfri.purdue.edu
• Military Family Network- www.emilitary.org

39. References
• http://www.militaryfamily.org/publications/reports/
• http://www.mfri.purdue.edu/
• http://cs.mhf.dod.mil/content/dav/mhf/QOL-
Library/Project%20Documents/MilitaryHOMEFRONT/Re
ports/Final%20Report%20with%20Appendices.pdf
• http://www.hooah4health.com/
• http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/
peds.2009-1180v1
• http://www.helppromotehope.com/documents/Veteran_S
tatistics.pdf

40. References
• http://www.sofarusa.org/download_brochures_fl
yers_multimedia_links.html
• http://www.beyondtheyellowribbon.org/HomePa
ge
• https://www.resilience.army.mil/

41. Contact Info
James McAuley, LAMFT
Claddagh Counseling
14 Seventh Ave North
St Cloud MN 56301
james@claddaghcounseling.com
320-223-0015