Military Community
April 2016-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
- SVO is seeking new board members
Free Tax Services Available to Military Members, Families
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- Hire Heroes USA
- Military VS College Academics
- 311VET: New app answers general VA benefits questions
- Transition Intelligence Dashboard
- Office of Student Access and Wellness at Ashford
- 13 of VA’s top links for Veteran Services
- CHAMPS Peer Mentoring Program
- Previous Editions
SVO is Seeking New Board Members
The mission of Ashford University’s Student Veteran’s Organization (SVO) is for military and veteran students and alumni to assist active duty and veteran students with their educational goals through mentoring, tutoring, professional networking, and support with their job search. The SVO supports the unique needs of service members and their families, encourages persistence by celebrating accomplishments, and motivates military students and their dependents to achieve personal, professional, and educational goals
Free Tax Services Available to Military Members, Families
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses the term “military sexual trauma” or “MST” to refer to sexual assault or sexual harassment during military service and has services available to assist Veterans in their recovery from MST.
- Veterans can receive free treatment for mental and physical health conditions related to their experiences of MST at every VA medical facility. Veterans do not need to have documentation of their experiences and may be able to receive care even if they are not eligible for other VA services.
- Veterans can apply for disability compensation for any current difficulties that are related to their service, including difficulties related to MST.
For more information
- For help with health care and treatment related to MST, please contact your local VA medical center and ask to speak to the MST Coordinator.
Hire Heroes USA empowers U.S. military members, veterans, and spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. Hire Heroes USA has built a national reputation of excellence for helping veterans find jobs.
Find out how Hire Heroes USA has been helping veterans transition from combat to careers:
Be sure to visit the Hire Heroes USA website to learn more about the good work that they do!
Military VS College Academics
311VET: New app answers general VA benefits questions
311VET is VBA’s new benefits app, and it provides helpful information about veterans benefits, including: what benefits you may be entitled to, how to apply for benefits, how different benefits are defined, and where to go to get more information about VA services. 311VET can provide information about most VA benefits, including pension, education, health, disability, loan, burial, and career benefits.
While 311VET can’t answer questions about the status of specific claims (use Inquiry Routing & Information System (“IRIS”) for that) or other questions that require personally identifying information (“PII”) or protected health information (“PHI”), you can learn more about VA benefits by visiting the 311VET website.
Transition Intelligence Dashboard
This interactive capability allows users to view customized information based upon their military branch, rank, years of service, education level, specialty, age, and gender.
The goal is for 100,000 former service members to answer an anonymous survey from which the dashboard shares personalized data to help guide transition-related decisions.
Participation is currently below the goal. If you have made the transition and would like to provide feedback click the link below. Or if you are making the transition yourself and would like to see the results check it out.
Effectively supporting military and veteran students has emerged as an unmistakable focus as higher education responds to the needs of a dynamic student demographic. With the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury, and various other combat-related injuries, the need to support our military students as they transition to higher education cannot be ignored. Within the Office of Student Access and Wellness, staff work closely with disabled military and veteran students to tailor their educational experience to their needs and the challenges they may face.
The Office of Student Access and Wellness provides support services for students with disabilities and chronic medical conditions. Through accessible educational programs, disability-related advocacy, faculty and staff education, and an enhanced awareness of individual abilities and contributions, Access and Wellness ensures students participating in the online modality have an equal opportunity for success.
Through the use of innovative technology and individualized resiliency coaching, military students are equipped with the tools to achieve success where barriers might otherwise exist. Additionally, policies and practices are in place within the university that honor and acknowledge the unique service, deployment and familial factors associated with the military family.
While the wounds of war may often be invisible, the Office of Student Access and Wellness is equipped to recognize and support around factors that might otherwise hinder a student’s opportunity for success, and helps to guide students towards academic success and beyond!
Written by: ASHLEY KIRWAN, MA / LEAD VETERAN ACCESS & WELLNESS COUNSELOR, Office of Student Access and Wellness Ashford University
CHAMPS Peer Mentoring for Online Students
Ashford’s Collaborative, Holistic, Academic Mentoring for Peer Success (“CHAMPS”) program matches high achieving, upper-division students (Mentors) with new students (Mentees).
Mission Statement
The mission of CHAMPS is to promote success by providing support and guidance and being positive role models for new students. The program will also provide leadership development opportunities and transferable skills to high-achieving, upper-division students serving as student mentors.
Let us know if you’re interested in being a mentor or a mentee. The Ashford staff will then pair you with a mentor/mentee. Each mentor and mentee will meet at least once per week through the method they choose to discuss the transition into Ashford University. The program will last 7 weeks, but it is our hope that our mentors and mentees build relationships that last well beyond the end of the program!
Previous Newsletters
* 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. Ashford University cannot guarantee employment. 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
- Taxes Image. Retrieved from:https://www.flickr.com/photos/jakerust/16974565659/in/photolist
- Hire Heroes USA Image. Retrieved from: https://www.hireheroesusa.org/
- Transition Intelligence Dashboard Image. Retrieved from: http://military-transition.org/results.html
- Service Image. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dskley/15447707963/in/photolist
- 311 Vet Va Benefits Image. Retrieved from: http://www.311vet.com/
Stephanie Kinman: Military Development and Engagement Specialist
Please do not hesitate to email me if you wish to unsubscribe
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