Military Community
March 2017-Ashford University Newsletter
Military Development and Engagement
The Military Community Newsletter at Ashford University was created for you to learn about and share community events, resources, and key topics relevant to service members, veterans, and their families nationwide. Please contact Ashford's Military Development and Engagement Specialist if you have questions or additional resources you would like to share with your fellow military community.
IN THIS ISSUE
- March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Career Focus Corner: Perfecting the First Impression: Five Tips for a Successful Interview
- Military Education Outreach Team and Events
VA Crisis Line Opens Center
Student Veterans Organization: Accepting Nominations for New Board Members
- Get Connected with Military CHAMPS
- Cracking the Myths of Military Adult Child Benefits
Nationwide Conference Calendar by Month: US Veterans Magazine
- Previous Editions
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month by conducting an awareness campaign in March each year. The theme for the 2015 to 2017 campaign is: Not Alone.
The Not Alone campaign provides a platform for educating the general public about the incidence of brain injury and the needs of people with brain injuries and their families. The campaign also lends itself to outreach within the brain injury community to de-stigmatize the injury, empower those who have survived, and promote the many types of support that are available.
Below are links materials BIAA Affiliates can use to promote brain injury awareness in your community.
Career Focus Corner
Perfecting the First Impression: Five Tips for a Successful Interview
Finding your way back to the civilian workforce is a challenge, whether you have been gone 25 years or 4 years. Civilian employers do not always understand the culture you are leaving as you pursue your next career path.
Find out some insider tips, not just from someone with 18 years of military experience under his belt, but who is currently the head of Citi's Veteran Recruiting Initiative. He goes into detail about:
- Knowing the Role
- Being Punctual
- Selling Yourself Through Your Introduction
- Listening Carefully
- Asking the Right Questions
Military Education Outreach Team and Events
VA Crisis Line Opens Center
The Department of Veteran Affairs recently opened its new Veteran Crisis Line (VCL) satellite office in Atlanta allowing the life-saving hotline to expand capacity by nearly 600 veterans each day, essentially doubling VA's ability to help veterans in need. Callers can dial the National Suicide Prevention Hotline number 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and veterans can choose option 1 to reach a VHA VCL Responder.
The text number is 838255, or veterans may chat with trained professionals online at Vets.gov. Calls, texts, and chats are immediately directed to a VA professional who is specially trained to handle emotional and mental health crises for veterans and service members. For more information, see the VCL expansion fact sheet.
For more on veteran benefits, visit the Military.com Benefits Center. For guides on mental health and wellness, visit the Military.com Mental Health and Wellness section.
Student Veterans Organization: Accepting Nominations for New Board Members
We are looking for 3 qualified candidates to commit to the journey over the next year and take Ashford's SVO to new heights. Please review the positions open and how to apply. Voting takes place in April, so get your voice heard now!
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS IS APRIL 17, 2017
Get Connected with Military CHAMPS
Ashford understands the challenges of being a military affiliated student while pursuing higher education. We have developed a program dedicated to addressing those unique needs. It is our goal to pair up Military Mentees with Military Mentors so there is common ground and cultural understanding where the pair speaks the same language.
Deployments, frequent moves, and field exercises can all be distracting when you are attending classes. Connect with a Mentor who can help navigate those overwhelming waters, provide resources, tips, and personal experience to help you be as successful as possible while also building a relationship with another peer.
Top Reasons Mentees Join CHAMPS:
- To get to know another student on a personal level
- For support and guidance on managing time and other commitments
- For advice and encouragement as you begin your academic journey
- Tips to navigate Ashford Writing Center, Library and student Portal.
Cracking the Myth of Military Adult Child Benefits
A reader of Military.com wrote:
"I have heard that adult children of military folks are entitled to some adult child military benefits. If so, what kind of benefits and where would I find or apply for them?
My father served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War and was honorably discharged when his term was up. I was his fulltime caregiver for 10 years at home. He recently passed away in 2015 at 80 years old. I am a 52-year-old man interested in learning any information you may have regarding any entitlement I may have.
-- Adult Child"
* The newsletter may contain now or in the future links to other websites, such as links to military charities, discounts or offers, or other third parties that may provide services or products to you. These links and this information is being provided to you for your convenience and as a resource. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, the content of, or any other actions of such other websites or their owners or operators, information they may collect or information they may share. Further, the inclusion of an organization on this newsletter does not indicate an endorsement of such organization (or of any religious or political point of view promoted by such organization) by Ashford University or its affiliates.
Previous Newsletters
Citations and URL Image Retrieval
Brain Injury Awareness Month Image. Retrieved from: http://www.biausa.org/brain-injury-awareness-month.htm
United States Image. Retrieved From: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131622045@N08/16645173685/in/photolist-rmSSec-5tQmZN-7GzLy2-gJZP3h-ppiN6S-ckgafq-bX54v6-h27RGc
VA Crisis Line Image. Retrieved From: https://www.flickr.com/photos/youngadultcrisishotline/2283392344/in/photolist-4tLYZw-fh7bdV-
- Vote Image. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kire/291679976/in/photolist
Calendar Image/ Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/akashabrandt/8021243569/in/photolist-
Editor: Stephanie Kinman: Military Development and Engagement Specialist
Stephanie Kinman is a six year Navy Veteran. She spent two of those years attached to a Marine unit. Her personal and professional experience provides understanding to unique challenges military students face. She achieved her undergraduate degree in Psychology from University of Phoenix and her MSW with a focus on Military and Veteran Populations from University of Southern California.
Stephanie is dedicated to the military student population and brings her education, social work background and personal experience, both in the military and in the classroom, to provide resources, community events, and hot topic webinars to the military students at Ashford University.
She is the creator of the Ashford Military Community Newsletter, oversees the CHAMPS Peer Mentor Program for military affiliated students, and recently kicked off the Military Speaker Series as a means to elevate military cultural competency university wide.
Please connect with her if you are interested in being featured in the newsletter, making a contribution, or looking to mentor other military students.
Email: stephanie.kinman@ashford.edu
Website: http://www.ashford.edu/military/military_resources.htm
Location: 8620 Spectrum Center Blvd, San Diego, CA 92123, United States
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshfordMilitary