Military Community
October 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
- October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Vets Fighting Breast Cancer
- Military Education Outreach Team and Events
- Navigating Military Transition with Service-Connected Disabilities Webinar
- Ashford University Homefront Heroes Scholarship
- Council of College and Military Educators: Scholarships
- Happy 242nd Birthday United States Navy
Why Veterans Need to Build Their Personal Brand: Now
Bob Evans Farms’ New Entrepreneur Grant Program Is Like ‘Shark Tank’ For Veterans
Nationwide Conference Calendar by Month: US Veterans Magazine
- Previous Editions
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Throughout this time, I have continued to engage in professional development opportunities focused on trauma informed care and crisis intervention. I have completed training on Suicide Prevention, Suicide & Self-Harm: Stopping the Pain, 504 Coordinator and Certification, Case Management, and Domestic Violence Counseling Training. Both my experience and ongoing professional development training have provided me with the opportunity to continue to provide support to students who are or have been impacted by different life circumstances. I can provide a space for the student to share what is going on in their life right now and work with students to identify or assess the level of impact and the need for resources, develop a plan of action, and connect with additional resources, including internal supports provided by the University.
In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I have included some resources for your reference.
Military Specific
- Family Advocacy Programs (FAPs) provide education and awareness programs for all members of the military on the subjects of domestic violence and child abuse. They also provide support through victim advocates who work with victims confidentially to help victims get the care they need while deciding what to do next. To find the closest FAP near you please, visit DoD Military Instillations Service Locator. You can also visit the Family Advocacy Program for a complete list of prevention programs and victim advocate services.
- DoD Safe Helpline provides sexual assault support for the Department of Defense community. Operated by RAINN, this service is confidential, anonymous, secure, and available worldwide, 24/7 by click, call (877-995-5247), or text—providing victims with the help they need anytime, anywhere.
- Stateside Legal provides information and resources for individuals affected by MST.
Other Resources:
- Family Justice Center Alliance – The Family Justice Center Alliance, a program of Alliance for HOPE International, focuses on developing and supporting multi-agency collaboratives and multi-disciplinary models where victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, human trafficking, and other forms of violence can come. www.familyjusticecenter.org.
- National Coalition Against Domestic Violence - NCADV is the voice for victims and survivors. It is the catalyst for changing society to have zero tolerance for domestic violence. They do this by affecting public policy, increasing understanding of the impact of domestic violence, and providing programs and education that drive that change. http://ncadv.org/.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline - Highly-trained advocates are available 24/7 to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship. http://www.thehotline.org/.
- WomensLaw.org provides legal information and support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Vets Fighting Breast Cancer
October is known as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Vets Fighting Breast Cancer is dedicated to the education. prevention, and treatment of breast cancer in US veterans and research for a vaccine. Programs include education, grants for screening, mammography, surgery, chemotherapy, and follow up care not covered by the VA.
Walter Reed Army Medical Center Doctors found that breast cancer rates among military women are “significantly higher” — that military women are 20% to 40% more likely to get the disease than other women in the same age groups.
“Military women are more likely to be engaged in industrial jobs than females in the general population and more likely to be exposed to chemicals that may be related to breast cancer,” researchers wrote in the 2009 study.
– Radio emissions. Breast cancer is linked to men and women working as radio operators, electricians, telephone repair people and other jobs involving exposure to electromagnetic radiation.
– Chemicals. Army enlisted women who worked regularly with at least one volatile organic compound — such as solvents, paints and exhaust — were 48% more likely to develop breast cancer than those who didn’t, according to a 2005 military study of those under 35.
– Aircrew work. Female civilian aircrew members have higher rates of breast cancer, likely due to repeated and prolonged exposure to solar radiation. Research on male Air Force crew members, though not on female, has found similar spikes in other cancer rates.
– Toxic bases. Many of the worst Superfund toxic cleanup sites, often linked to all kinds of cancer clusters, are located on current or former military bases. Camp Lejeune, N.C., for example, has witnessed a shocking number of male breast cancer cases!
– Shift work. A 2012 study of Danish military women correlates night-shift workers with breast cancer — for both those in uniform and their families. Researchers found those working the swing shift were 40% more likely to face breast cancer diagnoses. Suspected is the suppression of melatonin, produced by the pineal gland, from sleepless nights which may also inhibit the body’s ability to fight off cancer-causing cells! Lower levels of melatonin have been found in women with breast cancer than in those without.
Learn More at Vetsfightingbreastcancer.com
Military Education Outreach Team and Events
Navigating Military Transition with Service-Connected Disabilities Webinar
Are you a Servicemember who has recently transitioned from the military, or are you considering your transition? Join us as we explore how to:
- Dispel myths about service-connected disabilities
- Make the most of the Vocational Rehabilitation program
- Identify military-friendly employers
- Know when and how to disclose your service-connected disability
Event Registration
- Log into your Ashford University Student Portal
- Locate the Career and Alumni Services section
- Click the My Career link
- Upcoming events are featured on your My Career home page. You may also click the Events tile to view a listing of upcoming events
- Click the Register link for the event
Webinar Login Instructions
1. Access the webinar at the scheduled time. You can also copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
http://bpiedu.adobeconnect.com/cswebinar2/
2. Click Enter as Guest and type in your first name last initial
3. If audio is not available through your computer,
dial in by telephone:
US/CAN Toll Free: 866.410.1443
International Toll: 513.360.6851
Access code: 380-453-4739
Homefront Heroes Scholarship
Military spouses interested in applying for this scholarship should submit two short essays about their education and career goals. Essays will be accepted between September 11 and November 5, 2017.
For more information on the Homefront Heroes Scholarship, visit https://www.ashford.edu/homefrontheroes/
Council of College and Military Educators: Scholarships
To learn more about the scholarship opportunities please click HERE.
Happy 242nd Birthday United States Navy
The U.S. Navy traces its roots back to the privateers that were employed to attack British commerce in the early days of the revolution. On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress established a naval force, hoping that a small fleet would be able to offset the uncontested exercise of British sea power.
Some important firsts in Naval history:
- First use of Submarines: While the Navy's first commissioned designs for a submarine were handed over in 1875, it wasn't until 1898 that the first Holland submarine launched successfully.
- First use of modern battleships: While America had battleships before the 1908 South Carolina class dreadnought, which started with the USS Michigan and was based on Brittish ships, these were the first in the new era of battleships.
- First use of Naval aircraft: In 1911, the U.S. Navy bought its first airplane, the Curtiss A-1 Triad.
- First aircraft carrier: The first flight from the deck of a U.S. Navy cruiser in 1910 led to the 1927 Lexington-class aircraft carriers, the first operational aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy.
- First use of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat: Introduced in 1992, these rubber boats were originally meant for life boats in the 1960s, but the Navy now uses them for SEALs due to their lightweight, high speed, all-weather specifications.
Reference: http://www.military.com/navy-birthday
WHY VETERANS NEED TO BUILD THEIR PERSONAL BRAND: NOW
Bernard Edwards: Keynote Speaker and Consultant wrote an amazing article that will be part of a series that he shares with his audience. Talking about why veterans need to start building their personal brand NOW! In the first article he dives into the first two topics.
- Understand that building a personal brand is a long game, not a short one.
- Clearly define your objective.
Read the full article HERE. He encourages readers to give their input in the comments box on the site, and states this is just the beginning to this series, so if you are interested be sure to connect with him on LinkedIn and be the first to see what his next steps are in building your personal brand.
Bob Evans Farms’ New Entrepreneur Grant Program Is Like ‘Shark Tank’ For Veterans
Are you a veteran entrepreneur with a million-dollar idea? Get ready to step into the “Shark Tank” — sort of.
As part of the “Our Farm Salutes” program established to support active-duty service members, veterans, and military families in 2016,the top brand of refrigerated sides Bob Evans Farms announced on June 27 the establishment of the largest veterans-only grant program available to all vets.
“Veterans come from a world that’s very structured, with strict lines about how things are done,” Mike Townsley, CEO and president of Bob Evans Farms. “Being an entrepreneur, those lines tend to get blurred, requiring business owners to figure out things on their own. This can be extremely overwhelming to veterans new to the business world. But, because we know that there are veterans out there with innovative business ideas, we launched this program to help bring their ideas to life and to help them get some of the business coaching they’ll need to ultimately be successful.”
Read the full article HERE.
Nationwide Conference Calendar
Previous Editions
* 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.
Citations and URL Image Retrieval
The people’s house in pink: honoring breast cancer awareness month at the white house. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2013/10/ 24/people-s-house-pink-honoring-breast-cancer-awar eness-month-white-house
Personal Branding Image. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ryan_rancatore/4536626113
Bright Ideas Ribbon Image. Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bright_Idea_Ribbon.png
Happy Birthday Image. Retrieved From: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/hledej.php?hleda=happy+birthday+text+outline
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