Military Community
January 2018-Ashford University Newsletter
Military Development and Engagement
The Military Community Newsletter at Ashford University was designed as a way for you to learn 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
- Military Education Outreach Team and Events
3 Ways to Prep for a TDY Like a Boss
Amazon CEO vows to hire 25,000 veterans and military spouses
- Creating Space for Peer Support and Engagement Opportunities Outside of the Classroom
Job Interview Advice for Veterans
10 Great Companies For Veterans In 2017
The 2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey Results Are In
- Military MOJO Career Fairs
- National Drug Facts Week (Jan 22-28)
- Nationwide Conference Calendar
- Previous Editions
- Citations and URL Image Retrieval
Military Education Outreach Team and Events
3 Ways to Prep for a TDY Like a Boss
Jen Kennedy is an Army Reserve Soldier, Army wife, and grew up as an Army brat. Her husband, 4 kids, and 4 cats are currently experiencing all Fort Carson and the surrounding area has to offer. When she's not exploring her duty station, she is blogging over at Injeniouslife where she shares recipes, craft and sewing tutorials, and recaps of her duty station adventures.
In an article featured on Spouse Buzz by Military.com Jen wrote an article on 3 Ways to Prep for a TDY Like a Boss. As a spouse and reservist she can relate to the TDY process all military families endure. Her plan of attack includes:
1. Make a Plan
2. Stay Busy
3. Make a Date
To get the full details of what these steps mean, check out her article at https://www.spousebuzz.com/blog/2017/09/3-ways-prep-tdy-like-boss.html
Amazon CEO vows to hire 25,000 veterans and military spouses
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos vowed to hire 25,000 veterans and spouses of active-duty military personnel over the next five years, joining a 5-year-old White House program to support military families and furthering the tech giant’s steps into the civic spotlight (González, 2016).
Amazon has also made an effort at hiring veterans in the past — about 10,000 since 2011 (González, 2016).
Learn more about Amazon Warriors: https://www.amazon.jobs/military
Find jobs in military recruiting at Amazon: https://www.amazon.jobs/military/#military-jobs
Creating Space for Peer Support and Engagement Opportunities Outside of the Classroom
- Military Community Newsletter
- Military CHAMPS
- Student Veterans Organization
- Military Speaker Series
- SALUTE
- Military Student Orientation
View the session: https://youtu.be/7_jfLcIUAQc
Job Interview Advice for Veterans
While finding a new job can be difficult for anyone, it can be especially hard on veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce. A new study from Military Benefit Association revealed that half of the veterans recently separated from the U.S. military are currently unemployed or have not had a full- or part-time job since leaving the military. Among those, 40 percent have been out of work between 4 and 12 months.
Roy Gibson, a retired U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. and president of the Military Benefit Association, said one critical aspect to landing new work for veterans is ensuring they are well-prepared for the job search process, including any interviews they may go on. Gibson said research shows that more than 70 percent of hiring managers find it difficult to ascertain recent veterans' skill sets based on their resume alone.
"There is an obvious disconnect there," Gibson told BusinessNewsDaily. "Eventually, they are going to have to sync up with the hiring managers that are reviewing their resumes and interviewing them."
"They need to take advantage of the resources that are available to them," he said.
"They should market himself or herself more broadly," Gibson continued. "That will open up a lot more doors than if they tried to stick to what they've been doing."
"Be thinking, 'What can I do for this employer?' not 'Here is what I do, take it or leave it' and hope it fits," he said.
"Have a mentor to help you practice interviewing," Gibson said. "There is no substitute for practice, especially if you are doing something as foreign as I think interviewing for a job is for most of these folks that are getting out of the service."
"The worst thing is to wake up on your first day as a civilian and say, ‘OK, now I have to find a job,' because it has to start long before then."
Excerpted from: Job Interview Advice for Veterans: Practice
10 Great Companies For Veterans In 2017
Monster.com, a global job search website, conducted its third annual assessment of which companies are the most beneficial for former military personnel, ranking them based on their commitment to hiring veterans and the initiatives they’ve launched to attract them and keep them happy.
In compiling its ranking, Monster chose a top ten from a list of 49 companies from last year’s top firms, plus a handful nominated by four expert panelists:
- David Coe, a U.S. Marine Corps officer and senior vice president of strategic programs at Orion International, which helps organizations attract, hire, develop, and retain military talent.
- Lida Citroën, a personal branding coach who has worked with hundreds of veterans, and author of Your Next Mission: A Personal Branding Guide for the Military-to-Civilian Transition.
- Justin Constantine, retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, speaker and leadership consultant who serves as senior advisor to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes Campaign. He is also a fellow with the Truman National Security Project.
- Evan Guzman, former Global Head of Military Programs and Engagement for Verizon and founder of The MiLBRAND Project, an agency dedicated to helping businesses and employers attract and retain veterans and military spouses.
Monster then reached out to the 49 nominees for additional information upon which to base its ranking, such as what percentage of the company’s 2017 hires were veterans;
- what percentage of the total workforce is veterans; what the retention rate was for 2016 hires;
- what 2018 recruitment plans it had for veterans; whether it has a dedicated veteran recruitment team and whether any of that team is ex-military;
- what kind of special programs it offers for onboarding, development, and retention;
- whether they accepted military training in place of civilian credentials; and if the company’s leadership is updated on the value of hiring veterans, military culture, and veteran’s issues.
Read the full article and find out what companies made the Top 10.
The 2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey Results Are In
Military MOJO Career Fairs
MOJO (Military Officer Job Opportunities) specializes in matching transitioning and veteran military officers and noncommissioned officers who have earned college degrees. They have three conferences spread across the country throughout the year. Dozens of companies are on hand at each conference to meet with hundreds of veterans, and a part of the engagement process includes resume review and placement of resumes onto a database that is accessible by participating companies. It is a great organization that runs a great conference – if you are near an area where a conference will be held, you should check it out!
- March 8-9, 2018 San Diego, CA
- June 7-8, 2018 Raleigh-Durham, NC
- September 6-7, 2018 Washington, DC
Visit https://militarymojo.org/ to learn more.
National Drug Facts Week (Jan 22-28)
Federal regulations have been placed on the use of opiods in the military and veteran communities. Veterans with chronic pain experience much higher rates of comorbidities such as post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, which may contribute to pain-management challenges (Russell, H. L. n.d.).
The addiction can hit veterans especially hard as they process traumatic experiences connected to their injuries. This trauma can exacerbate their ability to cope with physical discomfort, says anesthesiologist Dr. Peter Abaci, the medical director of Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center in Los Gatos, Calif., and author of Conquer Your Chronic Pain: A Life-Changing Drug-Free Approach for Relief, Recovery, and Restoration (New Page Books, 2016)
Marsden, who was stationed as a reservist at the 325th Combat Support Hospital in St. Louis from 2002-06, witnessed veterans battling opioid addiction (Russell, H. L. n.d.). “Opioid addiction is sneaky. It's slow. It takes over your life without you realizing it,” Marsden says.
To avoid dependence on opioids before addiction can even take hold, Abaci and Spevak recommend holistic treatment, or treating the whole person. This treatment might mean bringing in counselors or psychologists, dieticians, physical therapists, and other professionals in addition to a surgeon (Russell, H. L. n.d.).
Spevak says troops at Walter Reed have clamored for nonmedicated ways to combat pain, and he and his team have encouraged them to take up yoga, physical therapy, meditation, tai chi, and other behavior-based practices (Russell, H. L. n.d.).
Looking for support for you or a loved one? Read: 5 TIPS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF AN OPIATE ADDICT
Nationwide Conference Calendar
Previous Editions
Citations and URL Image Retrieval
Moving Boxes Image. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aedioa/228467868/in/photolist-mbXxb-8f5Wu5-9D6AG8-4nYcAH-7EpdEm-SAzpxe-8JCFRu-qu2hJy-yJRVv9-9HHkJq-58BHLC-7DvQVd-
Hand Shake Image. Retrieved from: http://nvf.org/?utm_source=Recurring+Donations+for+Transitioning+Vets&utm_González, A. (2016, May 05). Amazon CEO vows to hire 25,000 veterans and military spouses. Retrieved November 14, 2017, from https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-ceo-vows-to-hire-25000-veterans-and-military-spouses/
Career Fair Image. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/4947383606
Russell, H. L. (n.d.). Veterans and Opioid Addiction. Retrieved November 21, 2017, from http://www.moaa.org/Content/Publications-and-Media/Features-and-Columns/Health-Features/Veterans-and-Opioid-Addiction.aspx
Opioid Image. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/diethylstilbestrol/24328746088/in/photolist-D4RbBs-eC6Hoj-8miSM4-b5YV4H-9ySyUS-6ts6Ac-NcfpfF-N21F51-Ncfpbx-GmpL6t-
About the Editor
Stephanie Kinman is the Military Development and Engagement Specialist at Ashford. She served six years as a Navy Corpsman with two of those years attached to a Marine unit. She is well versed in understanding the 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 pathways for students to connect outside of the classroom.
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