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Education and Career Transition Guide for Servicemembers and Veterans

Special Section Veteran Employment Programs: Onward to Opportunity

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Carrie Wofford

July/August 2017 Volume 12, Issue 4

President Veterans Education Success

Transition Trends Corporate Connection: Hilton Ups Veteran Hiring Goals •

Degrees & Careers in Aviation

Competency Based Degrees O Army Women’s Foundation Destigmatizing Mental Healthcare

Military Advanced Education & Transition 2017 Editorial Calendar issue

Cover Q&A

Special Section

Features

Transitions

Closing Date

The CCME Issue February/ March 2017 (12.1)

Franc Lopez

Student Scholarship Spotlights

CCME President Jared Lyon

April 2017 (12.2)

Health Services/ Counseling for Vets on Campus

President & CEO Student Veterans of America

CCME Trending Topics SVA National Conference

Careers/Degrees in Logistics Corporate Connection

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CCME Highlights Roundtable: Training Faculty in Veteran Concerns

Degrees in Nursing Corporate Connection

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On Campus Support Issue May/June 2017 (12.3) July/August 2017 (12.4) September 2017 (12.5)

Hildegard Buan

Roundtable: ACMEs

Chief

Supporting Military Spouses

Air Force Voluntary Education Carrie Wofford President

Certification Programs

Veterans Education Success

Credit for Military Experience

Corporate Connection

Competency Based Degrees

Degrees in Aviation

Onward to Opportunity Online MBA

Kelly Wilmeth

Partnerships Building Resources

NAIMES President

Degrees in Criminal Justice

Corporate Connection

Traditional MBA

Degrees in Information Technology

Marine Corps Transition Assistance

Corporate Connection

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Curtis Coy

October 12.6

Joining Forces

Deputy Under Secretary of Education

Troops to Teachers

Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans Upward Bound

Eric Eversole

November 12.7

December 12.8

US Army Women’s Foundation

Director

IVMF

US Chamber of Commerce

Distance Learning Corporate Roundtable

American Council on Education

MAE&T’s 2018 Guide to Colleges and Universities

Soldier for Life

Degrees in Information Technology

Degrees in Homeland Security

Degrees in Health Care Corporate Connection

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MILITARY ADVANCED EDUCATION & Transition

Cover / Q&A

Features Transition Trends

8 Corporate Connection Hilton: Hiring Commitment Hilton announced it will hire an additional 20,000 veterans, spouses, dependents and caregivers by 2020. The company has already achieved 10,000 military hires in the United States since 2013.

July/August 2017 Volume 12, Issue 4

Special Section

MAE&T Supplement

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4

Careers in Aviation offer a variety of job opportunities for military students who want to help their careers take off, in a variety of career paths and in a steadily growing industry.

By Kasey Chisholm

Supported by grants from JPMorgan Chase & Co. and the Shultz Family Foundation, O2O-VCTP utilizes an online learning platform to help active duty, selected reserve, veterans and military spouses learn business, technology, and customer service skills to accomplish their personal and professional goals.

The Sky is the Limit

Onward to Opportunity

16 Carrie Wofford

President Veterans Education Success

19

A New Mission The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation, the only non-profit organization dedicated solely to helping women soldiers, has been nurturing its Legacy Scholarship Program since the program’s inception in 2008.

By LTC Jenelle Roberts, USA, Ret.

Departments 2 Editor’s Perspective 3 Program Notes 14 Class Notes 26 CCME GRAPEVINE 27 RESOURCE CENTER

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Demonstrate mastery and move forward with competency-based education.

Competency-based education learners earn credentials by demonstrating mastery through multiple forms of assessment, often at a personalized pace.

By Cali Morrison

Psychological healthcare is imperative for veterans and servicemembers. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a new online tool this June, to help veterans compare various treatment options for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

By Lisa Cypers Kamen

March Through Your Degree

Remove the Stigma

University Corner

28

Derrick R. Wood

SSGT, United States Marine Corps Military and Community Outreach Stratford University: Woodbridge Campus

“Currently, we’re helping several thousand veterans get their rights, including getting their student loans forgiven by the Education Department if they meet certain conditions, and getting Veterans Affairs (VA), the Justice Department, and state Attorneys General to fight for veterans who are defrauded by colleges.”

The leading higher education resource for our nation’s servicemembers Targeted circulation reaches education services officers and content focuses on current trends in higher education and highlights pressing issues for military students.

-Carrie Wofford

Military Advanced Education & Transition Volume 12, Issue 4 • July/August 2017

Education and Career Transition Guide for Servicemembers and Veterans Editorial Editor-in-Chief Kelly G. Fodel kellyf@kmimediagroup.com Correspondents J.B. Bissell • Kasey Chisholm • Catherine Day Jaime Fettrow-Alderfer • Nora McGann Holly Christy

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EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE Here at MAE&T, we love sharing the ways that corporations are supporting our servicemembers and veterans in transitioning to lucrative and satisfying careers. Microsoft Corporation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA) serving the Fort Carson military base this June, at Catalyst Campus for Technology & Innovation. This ceremony marked the inaugural MSSA cohort class serving Fort Carson with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) as the primary learning partner.

Kelly G. Fodel The ceremony featured guest speakers Colonel Ronald P. Fitch Editor-in-chief Jr., Fort Carson garrison commander; Thomas Dawkins, senior business manager of military and veteran education for Military Affairs at Microsoft; Dr. Aaron Glassman, department chair, Department of Management and Technology at ERAU; and J. Ronald Voss, Esq., general counsel, The O’Neil Group Company, representing Catalyst Campus.

MSSA, in partnership with Fort Carson, is a reflection of Microsoft’s commitment to help transitioning servicemembers prepare for the digital economy and gain the critical technology skills required for today’s high-paying IT science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers before transitioning to civilian life. The MSSA program is one of the few industry programs that trains active-duty U.S. servicemembers for IT jobs and is a cornerstone of the DoD Skillbridge program.

MSSA helps active-duty U.S. servicemembers develop the career skills necessary to meet the IT industry’s high demand for cloud developers, cloud administrators, database and business intelligence administrators, and cybersecurity administrators. Upon completion of the program, participants gain an interview for a full-time job at Microsoft or one of its participating partners.

Graduates have gone on to work for over 200 different companies including Dell Inc., Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Accenture, the Department of Defense, Cap Gemini and many more. In addition to technical skills, MSSA focuses on soft skills, helping servicemembers brush up on resume and interview techniques — all of which have helped graduates secure jobs in IT with an average salary of more than $70,000.

MSSA is open to both current servicemembers with a scheduled discharge date and to honorably discharged servicemembers. All candidates must attend an MSSA Information Session at their Base Education Center and complete a screening interview with an education counselor.

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Active duty servicemembers must:

Discharged servicemembers must:

• Secure command approval to participate • Complete and sign an MOA and return it to the education office • Submit a resume, proof of honorable service status, proof of math requirements and financial aid applications (program voucher, GI Bill or FAFSA) • Begin thinking about your specific IT career path by reviewing Microsoft Virtual Academy training options (see Preparation section below).

• Gain a MTA certification

• Submit a resume, DD-214 proof of honorable discharge, criminal background check, high school diploma or GED, proof of math requirements, and financial aid applications (program voucher, GI Bill or FAFSA) • Begin thinking about your specific IT career path by reviewing Microsoft Virtual Academy training options (see Preparation section below).

• Gain a MTA certification

To learn more about MSSA or apply for the program, please contact your Base Education Center.

If you are not located at a base where MSSA is currently provided, ask your Education Counselor or Transition Center representative to connect you to the Regional Career Skills Program Manager for options.

For more information, contact the MSSA Operations team at mssaops@microsoft.com, or check out their website at http://military.microsoft.com/training/mssa

PROGRAM NOTES Grants for UW-Milwaukee Veterans Upward Bound Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) presented UW-Milwaukee Veterans Upward Bound and Fox Valley Technical College-Appleton campus with a grant to develop and implement an entrepreneurial training program to help those veterans that would like to start their own business, but lack the skills and knowledge to do so.

UW-Milwaukee Veterans Upward Bound (UWM-VUB), a federally funded Trio program, has a major objective to prepare low income and first generation veterans for entrance into and graduation from a postsecondary institution.

“This entrepreneurial program is as complementary to Veterans Upward Bound as Kevin Durant is to Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors,” says Veterans Upward Bound project director Charles Allen. “We have seen many veterans come into the program, only to dropout to start their own business, returning a few years later, distraught. A big part of the problem for their unsuccessful attempt at starting their own business was their lack of knowledge and training in what it takes to start and maintain a business.”

These veterans learn that writing and communication skills, in addition to mathematical knowledge, are essential to their success, regardless of their career path. Funding for this program adds another tremendous resource to the VUB program. Veterans can now receive the knowledge and skills to start their business and at the same time acquiring the skills and preparation to enroll and succeed at a postsecondary institution, if they decide to pursue higher education.

This entrepreneurial program will literally take a veteran that has little or no knowledge of how to start and operate a business, provide all of the tools needed to develop a business plan, market the plan, and at the end of the 10 weeks the veteran will be able to apply for business loans and/or grants or perhaps enroll in a postsecondary institution.

Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs and UW-Milwaukee have maintained a working partnership since 2000. As one of its off campus classroom sites, UWM-VUB has been providing academic and career counseling to veterans located at WDVA transitional living facilities at the Southern Center VA, in Union Grove, Wisconsin, with plans to expand to WDVA facilities in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

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Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Education Bill for Montana Troops Veterans and advocates are throwing their support behind U.S. Senator Jon Tester’s legislation to ensure that servicemembers who often have to leave behind their jobs and homes to serve their country will not lose out on educational opportunities.

Tester’s Educational Development (ED) for Troops and Veterans Act received a hearing in the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in June. The bill protects troops from financial hardship that comes with deployments and ensures service men and women get the educational benefits they have earned.

“Our servicemembers deserve the best education and job protections when they leave behind their lives to serve our country,” said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This legislation will make sure that Montana’s brave men and women can seize every opportunity they have earned.”

Tester’s ED for Troops and Veterans Act would do the following: • Ensure that time spent deployed by the Guard and Reserves under certain mobilizations counts toward eligibility for the GI Bill and Vocational Rehabilitation.

• Keep tuition assistance for members of the National Guard and Reserves competitive with yearly increases in the cost of higher education.

• Allow servicemembers to defer student loan payments during training for an upcoming deployment.

• Establish a grant program to build, maintain and improve college veteran education centers where students can maximize their benefits, receive academic aid, and connect with their peers on campus.

• Protect members of the National Guard and Reserve who deploy from reduced wages or even termination from their job.

• Protect Reservists’ monthly housing allowance during required monthly training.

In recent years, members of the National Guard and Reserves have been asked to serve more than ever before, and Tester’s bill guarantees they receive benefits that are more commensurate with their increased service.

“We are pleased to see this legislation addresses important topics for SVA and those we serve,” said William Hubbard, Vice President of the Government Affairs of the Student Veterans of America (SVA). “Many National Guard and Reserve veterans served alongside regular active duty members doing the same work. Even so, these National Guard and Reserve members receive none of the benefits. We look forward to discussing these ideas with the rest of Congress, and thank you for your dedication to our nation’s student veterans.”

“We appreciate Senator Tester’s efforts to correct the benefit disparity for members of the National Guard mobilized for pre-planned missions across the globe,” said Brig. Gen. (Retired) Roy Robinson, President of the National Guard Association of the United States. “We urge the Senate to pass this important bill to ensure the men and women of the National Guard accrue Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits in the same manner as their active duty brothers and sisters. This is not just a benefit-parity issue. It’s a question of fairness.”

Tester’s bill has also garnered support from educators in Montana.

“Montana State University is fully committed to the education of veterans,” said Waded Cruzado, Montana State University President. “We enthusiastically support Senator Tester’s bill and the expanding educational opportunities it provides to an increased number of our country’s veterans.”

MAE&T July/August 12.4 | 3

The career skills program that’s changing how veteran employment gets done.

If you surveyed the number of veteran employment programs out there, you’d find there are more than 100 “career skills programs” for transitioning servicemembers and military spouses at Department of Defense bases across the country. In fact, the veteran employment approaches of skills translation and job fairs is relatively unchanged over the last 20 years. But there’s one program that’s taking a different approach to bridge the militaryto-civilian transition divide and getting some remarkably impactful outcomes.

It’s the Onward to OpportunityVeterans Career Transition Training Program—or O2O-VCTP—out of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University. And it’s showing strong results. In less than two years, it has steadily expanded: to more bases, with more career tracks, and more companies lined up to hire their program’s grads.

4 | MAE&T July/August 12.4

How

is

O2O-VCTP D ifferent?

• Most career programs are traditional. Operating on an old model of the workforce, they: • Focus on a single employer, trade union or trade skill

• Don’t offer relevant training for corporate employment opportunities, though 40 percent of veterans look for jobs with private companies • Often rely on the servicemember to use their GI Bill benefits

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for the Army based at Joint Base LewisThe IVMF knew, based on veteran McChord (JBLM). employment research, that the reality After completing a cybersecurity on the ground today calls for a differcertification through O2O-VCTP at the ent approach to a career skills program. end of last year, she left the service in First, the six- to ten-week career trainFebruary and began a job with Comcast ing courses can be taken on-base (at ten in March. Kennedy is now also going to bases now and 18 by this time next year) school full-time on the GI Bill to earn or online, choosing from three main a degree in computer network adminiscareer tracks (Information Technology, tration from South Puget Customer Service, BusiSound Community College ness Management) with 35 (SPSCC). sub-specialties.

“SPSCC gave me almost Second, the course is a full quarter-worth of free and, for participants course credits based on the who complete the curricucareer certification classes lum, even testing and cerI took through O2O-VCTP tification fees are covered, for free. I will now graduso GI Bill benefits can be ate earlier and save money saved. Participants can use on these additional coltheir GI Bill dollars to furDavid Roddenberry lege credits,” Kennedy ther their education. And O2O National Director said. “The Army is very the credits earned through good about investing in its soldiers, but the O2O-VCTP program can be creddepending on what unit you’re in, you ited to a future degree program. That may not have time to make use of your was the case for Malorie Kennedy, a benefits. This program helps level the network systems operator maintainer

playing field in more ways than one.”

Separating servicemembers or military spouses can take the O2O-VCTP courses starting six months prior to separation—for free. This gives them a leg up so that, by the time they leave, they have either landed a job or are well on their way. Like in Kennedy’s example, the goal is to minimize potential periods of unemployment.

E mployers

are lining up

The program has attracted some of the top employers like Amazon, USAA, Starbucks, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Accenture, and others. Starting early on during the session, employers are connected to students and they commit to interviewing them for available jobs when they graduate. This guarantee of interviews is something else that sets O2O-VCTP apart from competitors.

“Jobs aren’t one-dimensional, companies are looking for dynamic employees that come on board ready with

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leadership and technical skills to tackle complex issues,” said IVMF founder and Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, Mike Haynie. “A significant number of veterans are looking for jobs in the private sector, so O2O-VCTP was designed with direct input from corporate partners to ensure we offered the skills training for which they are looking.”

How

to

G et S tarted

Here’s how the process goes, start to finish. First, it’s important to complete your required Transition Assistance Program (TAP) courses. Once done, sign up for an O2O-VCTP orientation session, where you’ll learn what civilian jobs or career possibilities available to you.

Next step is to complete the program assessment and talk to an O2O-VCTP career counselor, who will help place you in the right industry track and target a professional credential (such as Cisco Certified Network Technician) tied to an in-demand private industry job.

Most course programs (O2O-VCTP calls them “learning pathways”) take 6-10 weeks to complete solely online or with on-base taught by local trainers and business leaders. The first course will be an overview setting up for a successful civilian career. The remaining weeks will be dedicated to training in the foundation of your chosen career and preparing for certification (if your chosen pathway has a certification component to it). About three weeks in, participants are connected to formal career and interview coaching with veteran job placement organizations like Hire Our Heroes USA and Corporate America Supports You. They review career goals and the job search process, including helping you send out job applications and getting ready for interviews with O2O-VCTP employer partners. Some local employer partners even do practice mock interviews with candidates. In the end, about 80 percent of the program’s graduates go on to get hired by partner companies.

According to Fort Drum O2O-VCTP grad, Brandon Griffith, “If you take advantage of the program you will feel twice as confident about your future during your transitioning period. I hon6 | MAE&T July/August 12.4

O2O Corporate Sponsors

estly started off worried about being able to land a decent job and making a decent income. But during my days with the program, my worries diminished.”

Griffith was hired by Gower Corporation as a System Administrator in Greenville, South Carolina.

So far 258 of O2O-VCTP grads have been placed at more than 225 companies. This success is fueling the program’s expansion. It is projected to grow from 200-plus students in 2016 to 5,400 in 2019. But results aren’t just calculated in numbers. What matters more are personal impacts... The military spouse who succeeds in securing employment so there are two incomes for the family, not just one. The family who participates in the program is on a path to financial security that will make

them better able to pay a mortgage or college tuition. O Find out more about the program and how you can get started before you transition at onward2opportunity-vctp. org. To learn more about IVMF, visit https://ivmf.syracuse.edu.

For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

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Transition Trends

CORPORATE CONNECTION

Military Advanced Education & Transition

Hilton: Hiring Commitment The hospitality company ups its dedication to hiring military veterans.

Hilton announced it will hire an additional 20,000 veterans, spouses, dependents and caregivers by 2020. The company has already achieved 10,000 military hires in the United States since 2013, exceeding its initial goal two years ahead of schedule. Hilton’s combined commitment is the largest in the hospitality industry, and one of the largest in the U.S. private sector.

“Military veterans and their families have made incredible sacrifices for our country, and we are strongly committed to ensuring they have great jobs when they return home from service,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton. “We’ve always felt strongly about this issue since our founder Conrad Hilton himself was a military veteran, and we are very proud of our veteran Team Members who have contributed so much to our company.”

The expanded hiring commitment is part of Hilton’s Operation: Opportunity program, which provides wide-ranging support to U.S. veterans and their families. The program is unique in its support for military families, offering flexible work opportunities and continuity of employment during long deployments and after location moves.

Hilton is also partnering with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to connect military caregivers with Hilton Reservations & Customer Care jobs that enable remote working. To date, Hilton has hired more than 1,000 military spouses and dependents – 10 percent of all Operation: Opportunity hires.

“Our message to our veteran Team Members is simple: we value the leadership, integrity, teamwork and other skills you bring to the hospitality industry, and Hilton will do everything it can to support you in making a smooth transition to the civilian workforce,” said Matt Schuyler, chief human resources officer at Hilton.

To position new hires for success, Hilton has developed extensive resources and support programs for veterans, including reserve pay benefits, tailored development resources, internship programs, onthe-job training, a dedicated Veteran Team Member Resource Group and special recognitions for veterans.

In addition to hiring veterans and their families, Hilton also donates Hilton Honors Points for veterans to redeem for free hotel stays while seeking jobs, trainings or certifications with Hilton or in any other industry. To date, Hilton has donated nearly 1.2 million 8 | MAE&T July 12.4 | Transition Trends

Points to more than 1,100 veterans, allowing for more than 1,700 stays at Hilton properties.

In November 2016, Hilton announced that reached its initial hiring goal of 10,000 veterans two years ahead of schedule. Hilton partnered with Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the White House’s Joining Forces initiative and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) to launch Operation: Opportunity in August 2013. At that time, approximately 10 percent of post-9/11 veterans were unemployed, and active duty military were transitioning to civilian life at a rate of more than 250,000 per year.

Hilton’s Operation: Opportunity program does not end with this milestone. The company aims for veterans and their family members to be 10 percent of new hires in its corporate offices and owned and managed locations in the U.S. moving forward.

“At Hilton, we know military veterans and their families have made incredible sacrifices for our country, and we are strongly committed to ensuring they have great jobs when they return home from service,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton. “This philosophy has been embedded in our DNA since Conrad Hilton, a military veteran, founded our company nearly 100 years ago. We developed Operation: Opportunity to formalize our commitment, and we now have a workforce of more than 10,000 veterans and military family members who are strengthening our company in countless ways.”

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Transition Trends

Lessons in Hiring Veterans Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta, shared what he called “five important lessons we’ve learned along the way that can benefit other businesses.” These lessons include, in Nassetta’s own words:

1. Identify Common Ground We’ve found that veterans don’t always think of a post-military career in hospitality, so we’ve been very proactive in terms of reaching out to them about opportunities in our company. But while a career in hospitality may not always be top-of-mind for veterans, there is significant overlap between our two “industries” – operating a hotel is very similar to operating a battleship or a base. Just like in those military environments, a hotel is a self-contained “village” in many ways, where everything from food to electricity can be produced onsite. By explaining how our business overlaps with their military experience, we’ve been able to help veterans understand that ours is not just an industry worth considering, but one in which they can thrive.

2. Provide Tailored Resources and Support

Just like with any new employee, completing the hiring process is just the first step. We’ve found it’s particularly critical to provide tailored resources and ongoing support for our veteran Team Members who are transitioning to a civilian career, often for the first time. Whether it’s offering reserve pay benefits or creating a dedicated Team Member Resource Group, it’s our responsibility to set them up for success. Even something small, like ensuring every veteran Team Member receives a pin denoting their branch of the military, can help them feel welcome and valued. I’ve been particularly proud of the response from our civilian Team Members, who have welcomed veterans and their families with open arms and deep respect.

3. Veterans Need Short-term & Longer-term Civilian Career Opportunities

Retaining the people we’ve hired through Operation: Opportunity for the long-term is a big priority for us – one we’ve put significant resources behind. But we’ve also learned that a long-term career in the hospitality

Operation: Opportunity hires include positions that require strong leadership, managerial and operational skills. Some of those include food and beverage, and guest services and operations. Approximately 1,000 of Hilton’s original 10,000 hires are military and veteran spouses and caretakers who excel in positions that offer the flexibility to work remotely, determine their own hours and accommodate changing deployments. Roles are diverse across the company, including security, loss prevention, engineering, culinary, corporate, sales, marketing, spa and recreation. Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Grand Vacations and Hilton Reservations and Customer Care were the departments with the largest number of new team members.

The top three states for hires were Florida, Texas and California, respectively, correlating closely with the states where the most veterans live. Nevada, South Carolina and Hawaii followed.

“Over the last three years, on average, Hilton or its hotels have www.MAE-kmi.com

industry isn’t necessarily what every veteran wants or needs. Some just need a landing spot for a few years: a good job that helps them get settled upon their return from service, or civilian work experience that they can transfer to another industry or role. We believe we should support veterans and their families no matter what they’re looking for – whether that’s a shorterterm opportunity or a lifelong career in hospitality.

4. Family Matters

Of course, veterans aren’t the only ones who have unique needs – the spouses and dependents of active duty military do incredible work supporting their families while their loved ones are deployed, and frequent moves can make it difficult to maintain career consistency. By offering flexible positions, including those that allow for working from home (for example, in customer service positions where the work is primarily conducted by phone), we’re proud that 10 percent of the hires we’ve made through Operation: Opportunity are spouses and dependents of active duty military and veterans. We’ll continue working to ensure these “hidden heroes” have the opportunity to build good careers alongside their spouses.

5. Veterans Are Invaluable Assets

I think it’s important for everyone to understand that veterans are incredible assets for a company, and they bring highly transferable skills, experience and values – things like discipline, organization, problemsolving and teamwork. The most important lesson we’ve learned is the one we suspected from the beginning: hiring veterans is not just a matter of doing the right thing for the men and women who have served our country. As much as we’re helping them, they are doing even more to help us achieve our mission to be the world’s most hospitable company in every way possible.

hired nine veterans or veteran family members every day in the United States,” said Matthew W. Schuyler, Chief Human Resources Officer of Hilton. “Our message to these team members is simple: we value the leadership, integrity, teamwork and other skills you bring to the hospitality industry, and we’ll do everything we can to support you in making a smooth transition to the civilian workforce.” O For more information on Hilton’s commitment to veterans, please visit jobs.hilton.com/military and view the company’s Operation: Opportunity video.

For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

Transition Trends | MAE&T July 12.4 | 9

Degrees in aviation

Careers in Aviation offer a variety of job opportunities for military students who want to help their careers take off. By Kasey Chisholm, MAE&T Correspondent When we think about aviation, often our scope is limited to that of the pilot. However, the field of aviation is far more expansive than that, encompassing a variety of possible career paths. In a way, the sky truly is the limit for someone pursuing a degree in aviation. According to Maureen Kiggins, Director of Public Affairs at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, graduates with degrees in aviation could consider careers such as aircraft maintenance technician, aircraft dispatcher, general manager of an airport, pilot, customer service, airport operations specialists, air traffic controller and more. The variety of career paths for a graduate of an aviation program are appealing to potential students, and the growth the industry is experiencing is also enticing. Kiggins noted, “The 2016 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook forecasts that between now and 2035, the aviation industry will need to supply more than two million new aviation personnel including 617,000 commercial airline pilots and 679,000 maintenance technicians.”

As the demand for highly qualified aviation specialists grows, many schools and employers look to those with military experience as ideal candidates. Kenneth Witcher, Associate Professor and Dean of the College of Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide Campus, explained that military experience “provides individuals with invaluable skills, particularly self-discipline, excellent communication skills, an appreciation for a strong safety culture, and an ability to conduct risk-analysis assessments. Active military personnel, as well as veterans, already have a safety-first mindset and a strong work ethic, so that they can adapt very easily to working 10 | MAE&T July 12.4 | Transition Trends

in the aviation and aerospace industry.” For any student with a military background, a degree and career in the world of aviation is certainly one to be considered.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide Campus Embry-Riddle has a 90-year record of providing excellent and globally competitive education in the field of aviation and aerospace. Embry-Riddle serves more than 31,000 students in Florida and Arizona, multiple satellite locations, and online programs which have been named “the nation’s best” by U.S. News & World Report. Embry-Riddle offers a variety of programs of study in the field of aviation.

“The College of Aeronautics currently offers associate degrees in eight fields, ranging from aeronautics and aviation business management to aviation maintenance, engineering fundamentals and logistics and supply chain management,” Witcher explained. Additionally, there are 17 bachelor’s programs in aviation security, project management, safety management, unmanned systems applications, and much more. “[Nearly] 20 different master’s degree programs also encompass cybersecurity management and policy, occupational safety, human factors, unmanned systems, and other fields,” Witcher said. A Ph.D in Aviation is offered through the Daytona Beach, Fla. location.

Each program at Embry-Riddle focuses on real-life, applicable skills to ensure success for their graduates as they www.MAE-kmi.com

Transition Trends

enter the workforce. Graduates of Embry-Riddle’s programs can expect an exciting variety of opportunities as they enter the workforce. It all depends on what specific field of study they pursue. Graduates of the Aviation Maintenance Bachelor’s degree might be employed focusing on “hydraulic components and system designing, manufacturing engineering, technical writing, aerospace systems development, aerospace products and parts manufacturing, surveillance technology” and more. Witcher said that graduates of the Unmanned Systems Applications program “are prepared to pursue careers in design, engineering, management, accident investigation, analysis, communication systems, emergency response coordination, mission planning” and more. The possibilities are endless!

Witcher, and Embry-Riddle, know the importance of military experience to potential Embry-Riddle Aviation students. Currently, more than 8,000 of Embry-Riddle’s currently enrolled students are active military members. The school understands that, particularly for those who are active duty, there is a balance between one’s education and military duties to maintain.

VA counselors are available to help any student with military experience determine the best options for them, including reviewing tuition discounts and utilization of their GI Bill.

Many of Embry-Riddle’s worldwide campuses are on military

locations, including possible stations in Europe, Japan, and Korea. Dr. John R. Watret, chancellor for Embry-Riddle Worldwide, has said: “We have a long-standing commitment to our service men and women, both active-duty and veteran, and take pride in being able to offer them degrees that are of the highest academic quality and that are sought after by employers in the aviation and aerospace industry.” Embry-Riddle is committed to nurturing students, both educationally and in their service to our country.

Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus Kansas State Polytechnic offers bachelor’s degree programs in airport management, professional pilot, aviation maintenance management and unmanned aircraft systems. To aid students in these programs, KSU has a number of resources that create a state-of-the art atmosphere, including three instrument runways, modern classrooms and labs, a Canadair Regional Jet simulator, a dispatch center and a maintenance hangar.

According the KSU marketing department, students can expect unique and realistic experiences in their education in the aviation programs. “Our airport management program was the first of its kind in the nation, opening new opportunities for

Boeing forecasts a need for over 1.2 million airline pilots and technicians by 2036.* Professional Pilot Aviation Maintenance

Aviation Electronics Nondestructive Testing

Call Us Today to See Which Program and Location Suits You Best!

800.331.1204

Spartan.edu

We accept all main forms of Military Education Benefits.

Military experience can be evaluated for possible credits.

Licensed by OBPVS

*http://www.boeing.com/commercial/market/pilot-technician-outlook/

www.MAE-kmi.com

Transition Trends | MAE&T July 12.4 | 11

Degrees in aviation

students and graduates,” KSU marketing told MAE&T. “This is the only program on an active airfield.”

In the professional pilot program, students have the use of a 35-aircraft fleet at the regional airport, within walking distance of campus. For the aviation maintenance program, the classroom is a 38,000 square foot hangar with direct ramp access to the regional airport, allowing students to conduct engine runs, aircraft ground operations and aircraft taxi in an operational environment. Finally, the unmanned aircraft systems programs are innovative and particularly cutting edge. Students interested in this field can choose from two options, either in flight and operations or in design. Students can also select a UAS minor to experience this unique learning opportunity. KSU built one of the largest enclosed UAS flight facilities in the nation and were awarded the country’s first approval to provide commercial flight training, to keep pace with the changing world of aviation.

Graduates of KSU’s aviation degree programs can seek a variety of careers, entering the workforce is such roles as flight instructor, pilot, airport manager, aviation safety director, aerospace quality manager, aerospace service engineer, aviation business administration, aircraft fleet manager, aerospace quality manager, pipeline and power line patrols, tower and structure inspections, industrial and nuclear accident monitory, railroad track inspections, military contractor, and more.

KSU has also demonstrated a commitment to students with military service. In fact, 1 out of 8 students at KSY is a current or former servicemember. KSU is a Yellow Ribbon Program approved institution that accepts the Post 9-11 GI Bill, offers ACE credit for military training and experience, and has a dedicated VA representative and Student Veterans Association in order to personally assist students as needed. Because KSU believes in hands-on teaching and learning experiences, students with military experience are particularly set up for success there. Often, they come to the programs with real life experiences that enable them to meet with success as they continue their studies at KSU.

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology At Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, students can explore learning in such career paths as in aircraft maintenance, avionics systems technology, nondestructive testing, quality control and aviation management. Dan Peterson, Chief Executive Officer, USAF (Ret.), noted that “Spartan’s graduates work as pilots as well as A&P technicians, electronics or avionics technicians, nondestructive testers or inspectors, quality control inspectors among other things.” It is this variety that Peterson believes many students in the aviation programs at Spartan love. “No two days,” he said, “are the same.” Graduates could be inspecting planes, troubleshooting problems, designing specialized equipment, working on a jumbo jet, and more. There are so many options that one can pursue in the field, and Spartan’s 12 | MAE&T July 12.4 | Transition Trends

Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

programs allow students to determine the path that most interests them.

More than 300 students at Spartan are veterans, and a few more are active duty and in the reserves or utilizing the online programs offered. “It is a natural fit for veterans to pursue careers in the aviation industry,” Peterson said. “Often times, the jobs they held while in active duty have applicable skills.”

He added that sometimes students may be eligible for transfer credits which allows them to finish the program early.

“The aviation industry requires an amount of discipline, reliability and of course integrity. These are characteristics that are often times more apparent in veterans,” Peterson said. In fact, employers in the aviation industry often seek out those with military experience for these reasons.

Spartan offers many supports for veteran students. The school accepts all major military benefits, have veteran student lounges, and a Student Veterans Association on their Tulsa campus. “Spartan has a long standing history of providing training to both military active duty and veterans since 1928,” Peterson said. “We consider serving this student population our duty and privilege.”

Thomas Edison State University The School of Applied Science and Technology at Thomas Edison State University offers associate and bachelor’s degree programs in air traffic control, aviation flight technology, aviation maintenance technology and aviation management. An APR (Academic Program Review) can award credit for FAA licenses based on experience that military and veteran students may already have.

Donald Cucuzzella, assistant director of the school of Applied Science and Technology, explained that, “These licenses typically encompass credentials held by aircraft mechanics, civilian and military aircraft dispatchers, air transport pilots, certified flight instructors, helicopter pilots, control tower operators, flight engineers and commercial and private airplane pilots.”

Graduates of the programs at Thomas Edison are headed in to a dynamic field with a number of career options. Because the technologies are always evolving, the job is always changing as www.MAE-kmi.com

Transition Trends

Airline Management, Airport Management, Aviation Maintewell, making for an exciting work experience. Some may wonder nance, Aviation Maintenance Management, General Management, if earning a degree in the field is necessary, but Cucuzzella noted: and Electronic Engineering Technology – Avionics. Vaughn also “A degree often equates to security for many aviation-related offers a Master of Science in Airport Management. positions during every phase of a career cycle. For those wishing “Vaughn College is one of 33 Federal Aviation Administration to transition away from more physically demanding positions, (FAA) Air Traffic — Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) partfor instance, a university degree would allow them to remain in ners,” Kiggins said. “The FAA hires approximately 50 percent of their field while preparing for a new administrative or manageits candidates from the AT-CTI and the military.” rial role.” Additionally, as many currently in the Vaughn has invested over $1 million to ensure industry approach retirement, a job candidate with its students have the most cutting edge training both military experience and a degree in the field is devices available to them. They have two Redbirds an extremely desirable candidate with considerable motion simulators, which Kiggins said “manipucompetitive advantage in the hiring process. lates your sense of balance, simulating actual roll, In addition to often coming to Thomas Edipitch and yaw motions. From varying weather son with FAA licenses and certifications, military conditions to equipment failures, these new simuveterans’ “hands-on, technical prowess is often lators not only provide a wide range of training enhanced by the leadership qualities they develscenarios, they’re also approved by the Federal oped in the military as well as their personal Aviation Administration.” discipline and sense of commitment,” Cucuzzella Vaughn is also home to The FRASCA Cessna said. Instructors as well as non-military peers at Dr. Ken Witcher 172 Flight Training Device, which includes a fully Thomas Edison often speak about the “valuable enclosed flight deck with 220 degree wraparound perspective” that students with military experience visuals, realistic controls like a real aircraft, and bring to the learning environment. Thomas Edison single or twin engine configurations. A CRJ-700 currently serves 3,518 active duty, reservists, and simulator simulates the Canadair two-engine fan military veterans, with 392 of those specifically in jet. Additionally, Vaughn has a new radar and the aviation programs. tower training facility and a new ATC laboratory “The university prides itself on serving those to “support the same airport and airspace that who have served our country and our evolving supstudents will encounter upon entering the Federal port structure continues to reflect this,” CucuzAviation Administration (FAA) Academy,” explained zella said. “For more than 40 years, our Office of Kiggins. Considering all of these technologies and Military and Veteran Education has been a cornerinnovative practices, it is no wonder that Vaughn stone of this endeavor by providing personalized Dan Peterson was recently selected as a Delta Air Lines partner attention to active, reserve and veterans in all institution. branches of the U.S. military during each phase of Currently, Vaughn has 172 students with their academic journey.” military experience enrolled in their programs.

Some of the military resources and benefits Vaughn’s aviation program seems to attract veteravailable include an online Military and Veteran ans because “communication skills, and the ability Portal (MVP) to let veterans determine possible to work in teams is vital,” Kiggins said. Vaughn has credit equivalency, degree programs, and estia Veterans Organization that helps assist veterans mated costs and job potential before application. with the transition to a successful academic life A virtual resource center, Operation Vet Success and provides networking and fellowship oppor(OVS) and Operation College Promise are all additunities. Career Services works with students to tional resources in place to assist veterans as they make sure that they are on course to successfully reach for academic success.

Don Cucuzzella earn required certifications to be employable, and an internship coordinator helps place students in Vaughn College of Aeronautics and internship opportunities to ensure career success post-graduaTechnology tion. Vaughn prides itself on its ability to produce graduates who are ready and able to take on the challenging work of aviation At Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, students career paths. O have a wide selection of aviation pathways to prepare them for the ever-expanding career field of aviation. Students can earn certificates in aircraft dispatch and aviation maintenance. They can also earn an Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) in Aviation Maintenance or an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Aircraft Operations (Flight), Airport Management, Aviation For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel Maintenance, or Electronic Engineering Technology – Avionics. at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives A number of Bachelor of Science degree paths are available, for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com. including Aeronautical Sciences, Aircraft Operations (Flight), www.MAE-kmi.com

Transition Trends | MAE&T July 12.4 | 13

CLASS NOTES Free Law Degree Starting this fall semester, veterans eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program will have their Mitchell Hamline School of Law education paid for in full.

Veterans who served at least three years in active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, and who attend law school full time, can have their tuition and fees fully covered by a combination of funds from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA’s Yellow Ribbon Program, and Mitchell Hamline.

There is no limit to the number of qualifying students who can take advantage of the program.

In the past, the VA paid a portion of an eligible veteran’s Mitchell Hamline tuition, the school paid $1,000, and the Yellow Ribbon Program matched that contribution. Veterans paid the remainder of each semester’s tuition bill. Under the new system, the Yellow Ribbon Program and Mitchell Hamline will fully cover the portion of tuition and fees not provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill for eligible veterans.

President and Dean Mark C. Gordon says Mitchell Hamline is pleased to be able increase its support for veterans. “We all owe a great debt to everyone serving our country,” Gordon says. “This is a small way to help in showing our gratitude.”

Sarah Hogfoss of Fargo, N.D., served in the U.S. Army from 2009 to 2012. When Hogfoss, 35, starts her second year at Mitchell Hamline this fall, her tuition and fees will be paid for. “I’m really happy with this change,” Hogfoss says. “I won’t have to take out additional student loans to cover the remaining balance of my tuition, and I won’t have to pay outof-pocket tuition for J-term and summer courses.”

According to Mitchell Hamline Assistant Director of Financial Aid Nick Anderson, this arrangement is available to any eligible full-time student veteran.

While other private law schools around the country offer to match VA funds to pay veterans’ full tuition and fees, many restrict how many students are eligible.

“Many schools have a cap on the number of students they will offer this to,” Anderson says. “Some also have an application process that is first-come, first-served, so only early applicants get the benefit.

We want to maximize every eligible student’s benefit, since it is a benefit they have earned.”

During the 2016-17 academic year, 10 Mitchell Hamline students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. More information on Mitchell Hamline’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program can be found on the school’s website.

14 | MAE&T July/August 12.4

Trident Collaborates to Help Servicemembers Trident University International recently marked its 50th event with Centurion Military Alliance (CMA), an organization dedicated to serving military populations through career training and development workshops and resources.

CMA’s services are key for Trident’s military-affiliated students and alumni, and are among the resources offered through the Trident Military Assistance Center (TMAC).

Collaboration with CMA, which started in 2013, remains frequent due to similarities in mission and Trident’s desire to provide their students and alumni with the tools for professional success.

Since men and women who have a bachelor’s or master’s degree already in hand tend to experience a smoother transition into the civilian workforce, Trident plays an important role in CMA’s workshops. The University offers accessible, affordable, and rigorous academic programs, and the veterans on Trident’s staff have led to the improvement of workshop quality and more opportunities for tailored, one-on-one counseling.

“CMA’s military-to-civilian career transition workshops have been invaluable to the

Trident community. The skills and network gained through the workshops have been key to post-military success for many of our students,” said Esmeralda Silva, Vice President of Outreach & Strategic Alliances.

With the goal of reducing military unemployment rates, CMA serves active duty military, veterans, wounded warriors, caregivers to wounded warriors, and military spouses through their CMA Warrior Transition Readiness Program, a daylong career and professional skills workshop.

CMA’s path to a successful transition includes educational tools like resume writing, mock interviewing with HR professionals, elevator speech development, networking best practices, financial readiness, professional online presentation, and the value/purpose of continuous education.

CMA’s executive team, which consists of veterans Jarod and Chaunte Myers, understand the veteran experience and what it takes to succeed. “Each transition is like a fingerprint.

It is unique to you and your situation – and it needs to be treated as such,” said Jarod Myers, CEO of CMA.

Niagara University: Information Security & Digital Forensics Degree Niagara University has announced a new Master of Science program in Information Security and Digital Forensics (ISDF). The program is designed to prepare students for careers in cybersecurity, for government and the private sector. Under the direction of Petter Lovaas, Ph.D., A.C.E., it will equip individuals with the knowledge necessary to obtain a Certified Information Systems Security Management Professional (CISSP) credential.

“Information security breaches and threats are on the rise, and it is more important than ever to prepare for such threats,” said Dr. Lovaas.

“One of the key components to improving information security is the ability to find qualified employees with a solid understanding of this relatively new area of vulnerability. It is imperative for universities to develop and sustain academic programs that prepare information

security specialists to defend against information breaches.”

Participants will study utilizing the latest tools, including professional applications in computer and mobile forensics at Niagara University’s new on-campus information security lab. They will concentrate on network security, ethical hacking, data privacy and modern cryptography. The ISDF program isn’t only intended for individuals with computer and information sciences degrees, but also for graduate students in criminal justice, nursing, and accounting.

The demand for specialized Information Security personnel with master’s degrees is on the rise, and the future indicates that this field will continue to grow nationwide. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Information Security Field will grow at a rate of 18 percent (2014-2024). www.MAE-kmi.com

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

W&M Troops to Teachers Grant The William & Mary School of Education has been chosen to establish a Troops to Teachers center in Virginia to help military veterans and soon-to-be veterans become K-12 teachers, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced in June. The $400,000 grant was awarded through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), a U.S. Department of Defense agency.

“Virginia boasts one of the largest veteran and military populations and is home to some of the nation’s most important military installations,” said McAuliffe. “That is why the Troops to Teachers program is so important to the military-connected citizens of the Commonwealth. This program will help address the teacher shortage in Virginia and provide our veterans with opportunities to bring their experiences and skills into the classroom.

These are the kind of innovative opportunities that will allow our nation’s heroes to succeed in the new Virginia economy.”

The Troops to Teachers Virginia Center, scheduled to open in June in the W&M School of Education, will offer veterans, and those who are within one year of exiting the military, guidance in meeting educational and licensure requirements to enter a wide variety of teaching fields.

The center aims to not only help address critical teacher shortages in Virginia, especially in underserved schools and high-need areas like math and science, but to also help alleviate veteran

unemployment.

“The Troops to Teachers grant and center will be a game-changer for so many veterans and soon-to-be veterans across the Commonwealth,” said Virginia Secretary of Education Dietra Trent.

“As Virginia and the nation continue to experience a teacher shortage, now more than ever we need more qualified and inspired professionals in the classroom, and that is exactly what this program will help us provide to our students.”

In addition to the statewide outreach program, Hardinge and her team will develop a pilot program to further support veterans in the Tidewater area.

They will partner with experienced teachers who will serve as mentors to veterans at various stages in their transition to the teaching profession.

The pilot program will offer three tiers of support. The first will introduce veterans to the teaching profession through career exploration opportunities such as job shadowing, career coaching, credential review and the development of an individualized plan for meeting licensure requirements.

The second tier supports veterans just beginning their teaching careers, providing mentorship from an experienced teacher coach. The final tier provides ongoing services to veterans after they’ve transitioned to the classroom, offering continued access to resources and opportunities for professional growth and leadership.

“College of Military Studies” Launched National American University (NAU), a regionally accredited, proprietary, multicampus institution of higher learning, announced the launch of the University’s College of Military Studies.

NAU has served military students since its founding in 1941. The College of Military Studies brings military students and NAU’s general academic programming together to allow NAU to better serve their specific academic and support needs.

“With the launch of the College of Military Studies, we are pleased to expand our dedication to our military student population who face a different set of challenges from our traditional students,” said Ronald L. Shape, Ed.D., President and Chief Executive Officer. “Military service is complex, self-sacrificing and demanding.

Servicemembers and their families are faced with extended deployments, temporary duty assignments and frequent permanent change of station moves, all while trying to maintain a stable household and obtain an education during their free time. Given these constraints, a traditional education oftentimes is not a viable option for servicemembers.”

Entrepreneurial Training for Vets with Disabilities Florida State University and the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship provided lessons in entrepreneurship to 20 veterans and active-duty military personnel at the 2017 Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans With Disabilities program.

Participants learned best practices from industry professionals on starting a business or taking one to the next level.

Now in its fifth year, the program trains veterans to manage a business and be able to handle the unique challenges and opportunities that they face as owners. Those lessons help veterans to launch and grow a small business that complements their personal lifestyle. Participants to attend the EBV program free of charge.

This year’s class includes five Floridians, as well as veterans from Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Participants recently completed a three-week online course to prepare for this boot camp, which immerses them in the basics of entrepreneurship.

One key topic is the business model canvas, which helps startups focus on developing products and services based on the needs of customers.

www.MAE-kmi.com

Other important topics include opportunity recognition, business concept development, profit models, resource-acquisition strategies, venture-launch methods, guerrilla-marketing ideas, deal structuring and negotiation, valuation, entrepreneurial finance and funding opportunities for veterans with disabilities, operating models, service delivery, risk management, human resource management and legal/regulatory challenges.

The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans With Disabilities (EBV) is an education and self-employment training program founded in 2010 and expanded to Florida State University in 2012. The EBV program is designed to take advantage of the skills, resources and infrastructure of higher education to offer cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management. The program leverages the flexibility inherent in small business ownership to provide a vocational path forward for veterans and current military members. EBV integrates training in entrepreneurship with the unique challenges and opportunities associated with being a veteran, positioning participants to launch and grow a small business in a way that is complementary or enhancing to their lifestyle.

MAE&T July/August 12.4 | 15

Protection From Predators

Q& A

Shielding student veterans and servicemembers from fraud or abuse.

Carrie Wofford President Veterans Education Success Prior to founding Veterans Education Success in 2013, Wofford served Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) as the Senior Committee Counsel across the Committee’s issues, where she was described by The National Journal as someone who “wins high marks.”

Wofford was awarded the 2012 Freedom Award, the 2012 Congressional Staffer of the Year Award, and the 2012 Legislative Proponent Award for her work building a coalition of allies on and off Capitol Hill to protect veterans and servicemembers from abuse by predatory for-profit colleges. Wofford was noted for proposing and helping secure an Executive Order by President Obama and for working with the nation’s top veterans’ leaders to enlist multiple bills from numerous Members of Congress, with a successful bipartisan bill sent to the President at the end of 2012.

During the Clinton Administration, Wofford held a number of significant White House and agency posts, where she was able to develop policy, organize public engagement campaigns, and create numerous successful message events for the President, First Lady, Vice President, Mrs. Gore, and Labor Secretary Bob Reich.

Educated at Bryn Mawr College and Yale Law School, Wofford practiced law for seven years, clerking on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and serving as a Senior Associate at WilmerHale LLP. Q: What is the Veterans Education Success (VES) organization, and what is its mission?

A: We are a non-profit organization offering free assistance and advice to student veterans and servicemembers (and their survivors and families) who were deceived by a college or defrauded out of their GI Bill.

We have free lawyers to help. Currently, we’re helping several thousand veterans get their rights, including getting their student loans forgiven by the Education Department if they meet certain conditions, and getting Veterans Affairs (VA), the Justice Department, and state Attorneys General to fight for veterans who are defrauded by colleges.

We also help all student veterans who are having trouble with VA or with their colleges. For example, we helped student veterans at Stanford University resolve how their BAH housing allowance was being handled.

We are also education policy experts who provide free policy advice to veterans and military service organizations, the VA, and others to protect and defend the integrity and promise of the GI Bill and other education programs for veterans and servicemembers. VES was founded in 2013 by former committee staff of the U.S. Senate Education Committee who had uncovered a scam of bad actor colleges deceiving veterans about key aspects of the colleges. Some colleges 16 | MAE&T July/August 12.4

were even signing students up for high-interest loans without their knowledge.

Q: What should veterans and servicemembers look for when they are choosing a school?

A: This is your one shot at the GI Bill, so choose carefully. The following resources are reliable and helpful.

• Use the VA’s GI Bill College Comparison Tool. www.benefits. va.gov/gibill/ • Watch the VA’s terrific video on YouTube, that we helped VA create: “Know Before You Go.” • Servicemembers should use TA DECIDE, the Defense Department’s tool to pick a college to use active duty Tuition Assistance. www.dodmou.com/TADECIDE • College Navigator, by the U.S. Education Department’s National Center for Education Statistics, has better college-specific data than VA, including veteran-specific data. https://nces.ed.gov/ collegenavigator/ • College Scorecard by the U.S. Education Department allows comparison of colleges and searches by the program you want or region of the country; includes earnings after graduation and average debt load. https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/ www.MAE-kmi.com

The best education is often at your state’s public university or community college. Public colleges are regulated by the state and, in my opinion, tend to have better professors and better accreditation than online colleges or for-profit colleges.

Q: What should a student do if he or she feels like a victim of a predatory school?

A: Free help is available at Veterans Education Success. Email us at help@veteranseducationsuccess.org. We can connect you with free attorneys and law enforcement, and we can advocate on your behalf with state and federal agencies, and with your college.

You can also take action on your own: • File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/Feedback.asp) and the Defense Department’s new system (https://afvec.langley.af.mil/pecs/ dodpecs.aspx) if you used Tuition Assistance or MyCAA. Protect your fellow veterans by letting VA & DOD know who the bad actors are. You can also call the VA Office of the Inspector General hotline at 1-800-488-8244.

• Call and write a letter to your U.S. Senators and Congressmen and consider visiting their state offices to ask their constituent services staff for their help.

• Your state Attorney General may help you on an individual basis.

Many state Attorneys General are suing schools and recovering funds for the students; it’s worth asking for help! Look on the internet for your state’s “attorney general consumer complaint” form.

• 21 states have student tuition recovery funds or guaranty funds, which are pots of money available to reimburse students in certain situations. Some states even cover the $ value of your lost GI Bill! It’s worth applying to your state fund.

• Please also report any suspicious activity, deceptions, or unfair treatment to the Department of Education. Also tell them if you are having problems with financial aid, student loans, student loan companies, or debt collectors.

• If you think a college’s advertisements or marketing is misleading or false, report it to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.

• If you faced fraud or deception regarding a private loan, such as from a bank or from your school, you should alert the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at www.consumerfinance.gov/ complaint/.

• You cannot currently get your GI Bill benefits reinstated, but Congress is considering legislation.

Q: What about student loans?

A: You can apply to get your federal student loans forgiven (and even get reimbursed for loans you already paid) if your school: • Took out loans in your name without your permission or signed your name without your knowledge • Defrauded or deceived you. Online application form at https:// borrowerdischarge.ed.gov • Closed (and you were enrolled within 120 days of its closure).

Application form is at the https://studentaid.ed.gov website. If your school closed, you are eligible to get your Pell Grants reinstated under a rule the U.S. Education www.MAE-kmi.com

Department announced on October 28, 2016. To check on your Pell Grant, call the U.S. Ed Dept at 1-800-4FED-AID. • Wrongly enrolled you in a program you couldn’t benefit from (such as if you lacked a GED). Application form is at the https:// ifap.ed.gov website.

You can also get your loans forgiven or reduced if you are totally disabled, working in a public interest job (including military, government, and non-profit); working as a teacher, or not making enough money to pay your loans. The Education Department has four terrific programs to lower your monthly payments! Most students don’t know about it! More information is available at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/ repay-loans/understand/plans/income-driven.

Please beware of scams. Apply only through the U.S. Education Department, where you can do so for free. Free lawyers at Veterans Education Success can help you understand what you’re eligible for and help you apply.

Q: What about active duty servicemembers?

A: Active duty? You have rights! No loan—private or federal—can charge you more than 6 percent interest rate while you’re on active duty, and ZERO percent interest rate if you’re serving in a hostile area. You’re entitled to postpone your loan payments while you’re on active duty. You’re entitled to be excused from having to file routine paperwork with the Education Department while on active duty. The Defense Department will repay some loans in some situations. Ask your designated Military Personnel Officer for help finding out.

Active duty personnel who are deceived by a college should use the Defense Department’s Postsecondary Education Complaint Intake, which may be found at https://afvec.langley.af.mil/pecs/dodpecs.aspx.

Q: What is the 90/10 loophole and what should be done about it?

A: Why do some colleges target servicemembers and veterans with aggressive and deceptive marketing and recruiting? Because of the 90/10 loophole in the federal Higher Education Act (HEA). It’s called a loophole because the HEA law forgot to list GI Bill and Defense Department Tuition Assistance. Through the loophole, some for-profit colleges count GI Bill dollars and Tuition Assistance to offset a 90 percent cap the schools otherwise face on federal student aid.

As Holly Petraeus, former head of servicemember affairs at the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has explained: “Put simply, the rule says that a for-profit college must obtain at least 10 percent of its revenue from a source other than Title IV education funds, the primary source of federal student aid. Funds from Tuition Assistance and the G.I. Bill are not defined as Title IV funds, so they count toward the 10 percent requirement, just like private sources of financing. Therein lies a problem. For every servicemember or veteran (or spouse or child, in the case of the post-9/11 G.I. Bill) enrolled at a for-profit college and paying with military education funds, that college can enroll nine others who are using nothing but Title IV money. This gives for-profit colleges an incentive to see servicemembers as nothing more than dollar signs in uniform, and to use aggressive marketing to draw them in and take out private loans, which students often need because the federal grants are insufficient to cover the full cost of tuition and related expenses.”

How did this loophole happen? “When the law was enacted, forprofits hadn’t yet moved into the military market, so the legislation’s MAE&T July/August 12.4 | 17

sponsors weren’t focused on Defense Department tuition assistance,” says Sarah A. Flanagan, who helped draft the law in the late 1990s as the Senate’s specialist in federal student aid. And the Post-9/11 GI Bill had not yet been enacted. The law was intended to ensure that forprofit colleges offered an education good enough that some students were willing to pay for it, says Flanagan. “Counting Defense Department funding for servicemen’s education as part of the money that’s supposed to come out of consumers’ pockets violates the purpose of the original legislation.”

What should be done? The loophole should be closed because it

Wofford’s Top Ten Tips for Students 1. If a school sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

2. Beware of promises. Avoid schools that “guarantee jobs” or specific salaries you can get.

3. Research. Research. Research. There are many resources to pick a college: the new GI Bill College Comparison tool, the Education Department’s College Navigator, Department of Defense’s TA Decide and Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America’s GI Bill Calculator.

4. If a school is pushing you to sign up, beware. Reputable schools don’t harass you to enroll.

5. Find out all of your options. State universities and community colleges usually cost less and offer accredited, licensed programs, with reputations for quality.

Before you sign up: Compare the costs. Compare the quality. Compare graduation rates in your field.

6. Not all accreditation is the same. Ask employers what accreditation they respect. Accreditation is not as straightforward as it seems.

7. Don’t take their word for it. Find out for yourself.

Some schools will mislead you.

8.

• Ask employers which schools they respect and recommend.

• Sit in on a class. Ask students what they think.

• Find out what percentage of students actually graduate.

• Do a web search – has the school been found guilty of defrauding students? Are there lawsuits pending? Is it the target of federal law enforcement action for deceiving students?

• Find out how much the school spends on education costs. If most of their money is spent on marketing, executive salaries, and aggressive recruiters, then educating students probably isn’t their main focus. Look at the federal data.

9. Make sure your credits transfer. Don’t find out too late that you signed up for worthless credits.

10. Don’t sign anything you don’t understand. Some schools trick students into signing “routine paperwork” that is actually loans from the school at very high interest rates.

11. Find out how much your degree will actually cost.

Be careful of taking on a lot of debt. Know all of the expenses beyond just the tuition.

18 | MAE&T July 12.4

is incentivizing fraud against veterans, as more than two dozen state Attorneys General explained in their letter to Congress.

Q: With a new administration in office, what do you foresee when it comes to the future of “predatory” colleges and universities?

We hope the new Administration will turn its concern for veterans into policies that help student veterans. But there is reason for concern.

Despite opposition from The American Legion and a letter from 31 leading national veterans and military service organizations (including our organization, Student Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, National Military Family Association, and many others) the Trump Administration announced on June 14 that it will cancel and revise student protections that help veterans, especially (1) a rule that cuts off federal student aid for subpar education programs that consistently leave students with student loan debts they cannot repay, and (2) a rule that allows students who were defrauded by a college to have their federal student loans forgiven.

Given the 90/10 loophole and its effect in incentivizing for-profit colleges to target veterans, servicemembers, and their dependents to defraud them, losing these protections will hurt defrauded veterans and their dependents, as the 31 veterans and military leaders wrote in their letter opposing the move. All GI Bill beneficiaries should be concerned about this change.

We hope the new Administration will agree to meet with defrauded student veterans and help them, and we hope Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will accept an invitation to meet with The American Legion and other military and veterans’ organizations.

We also worry about the future of the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its Office of Servicemember Affairs, recently headed by Holly Petraeus. Congress is already making moves to hobble the agency, potentially crippling its ability to continue recovering millions of dollars for servicemembers and veterans who were cheated by banks violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Military Lending Act. Q: What would you consider to be some of VES’s greatest successes?

We identified a problem at VA and we fixed it: VA was approving GI Bill for programs that were not properly accredited and whose graduates were not eligible to work in licensed occupations (such as registered nurses, electricians, plumbers, lawyers). We documented the problem in a report to Congress, “The GI Bill Pays for Degrees That Do Not Lead to a Job,” and we proposed legislation. The House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees both passed the legislation unanimously, as did the full House and Senate. In December 2016, the President signed the bill into law. It stops GI Bill funding to schools that lack the appropriate accreditation for graduates to be licensed and get a job. Already, a number of law schools that weren’t accredited by the American Bar Association are no longer allowed to recruit veterans because their graduates couldn’t sit for the bar exam—a prerequisite for practicing law.

When ITT Tech closed, we partnered with VA to help ITT Tech student veterans understand their rights. We also recruited 200 volunteer lawyers to help ITT Tech veterans apply for federal student loan forgiveness and file claims with the court handling the ITT bankruptcy.

Currently, we are working to convince Congress to pass a bill that would restore GI Bill eligibility to veterans whose school closes. O www.MAE-kmi.com

U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Legacy Scholarships Help Soldiers Advance in Army and Life.

By LTC Jenelle Roberts, USA, Ret. Army veteran and agronomy student Sonia Kendrick hung up her Army uniform several years ago, but she is on another mission to serve her country.

Kendrick has seen the face of hunger in the food pantries where she worked in Iowa. Now she is pursuing a master’s degree in sustainable food systems to change from a system where food is shipped to the community, to one where the food is produced locally.

“My motto is, food security is national security,” said Kendrick, who served in Afghanistan.

Trang Pham, a private first class in the Army Reserves and student of nursing at Virginia Commonwealth University, dreams of securing a commission in the Army Nurse Corps. In 2013, three years after joining the Army, Pham volunteered at the Burn Center of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif.. She admired the “good-hearted nurses” there and felt compassion for the burn patients. She wants to pursue a nursing career in the Army, so she can look after injured soldiers.

U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Ingrid Parker learned from her own wartime experiences and interaction with Iraqi women activists that women who live in such seemingly disparate cultures still share many of the same challenges in male dominated societies. The observation intrigued Parker so much that she decided it would be the basis of her doctoral work as she “uncovers the institutionalized factors influencing the development of women’s opportunities in both societies.”

Parker, Kendrick and Pham are all Army women. They also share something else in common. Because they needed financial help to achieve their academic and career goals, they www.MAE-kmi.com

turned to the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation, and its Legacy Scholarship Program “The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Legacy Scholarship is truly necessary for my successful military career,” said Pham, who was digging deep into her own finances to pay out of state tuition at VCU. The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation, the only non-profit organization dedicated solely to helping women soldiers, has been nurturing its Legacy Scholarship Program since the program’s inception in 2008. Each year, it has increased the total scholarship fund and number of recipients.

“With this award my dream to help wounded military service members recover from physical, mental and emotional injury will come true, said Cristian Arreaza, 2016 AWF Legacy Scholarship Recipient. “Thanks to the Legacy award, I will become a better candidate to work for the Department of Veterans affairs and continue to serve my country as a civilian.

Thank you for choosing me and helping me reach my goals.”

Annual AWF S ummit The annual winners are announced at AWF’s summit each March. The AWF hosted its 9th Annual Summit on March 8, 2017 on Capitol Hill. This year’s theme was “Evolving Opportunities for Army Women: Equip ~ Empower ~ Engage.” Each March, in Washington, D.C., the Army Women’s Foundation brings together experts on defense, economic, political, health and social issues that affect soldiers, particularly women soldiers. The Foundation and its guests have examined and celebrated the changing military missions and roles of Army women, the challenges they face transitioning back to civilian MAE&T July 12.4 | 19

life, and the resiliency they demonstrate in handling both.

This year’s event featured keynote addresses from former Surgeon General of the Army, LTG Patricia Horoho, USA (Ret.), and Deputy G1, Department of the Army, MG Hugh Van Roosen, followed by two powerhouse panel discussions.

Since 2008, the AWF has awarded over $300,000 in scholarships to Army women - active duty, retired, National Guard, and Reserve - and their children through the foundation’s Legacy Scholarship Program.

The 2017 Legacy Scholarship winners are made possible by generous supporters such as Prudential, Sierra Nevada, L3, Walmart, GE, and PenFed Credit Union, among others.

S upport

to

GE Aviation provided two scholarships at the 2017 AWF Summit in March.

S ucceed

According to the private, non-profit College Board, most college students rely on some sort of financial aid, whether loans, grants or scholarships. The federal government and colleges provide a large majority of those funding sources, but so do private, charitable organizations, such as the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation.

Private and employer grants and scholarships make up 4 percent of the college financial assistance available in the U.S., according to the College Board.

The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Legacy Scholarship Program is part of that 4 percent.

The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Legacy Scholarship Program offers financial support to students in four areas: Technical Certificate programs, Community College coursework, Undergraduate Degrees, and Graduate Degrees.

Eligible applicants are women who have or are currently serving honorably in any component of the U.S. Army, and the lineal descendants of those women. Scholarships are based on merit, academic potential, community service, letters of recommendation, and need. Coursework must be through accredited institutions.

Funding for the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Legacy Scholarship Program comes from the foundation’s Board of Directors and from a variety of private sources, including corporate supporters such as The Home Depot Foundation, The Walt Disney Company, and Prudential Financial.

Some of the foundation’s scholarships are named in honor of individuals.

Pham, for example, received a scholarship named jointly for the first WAC Director, Col. Oveta Culp Hobby, and the first Superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps, Dita H. Kinney.

20 | MAE&T July/August 12.4

University of Maryland University College funded a USArmy Women’s Legacy Scholarship at the AWF Summit.

Caryn Wagner, an Army veteran who sat on the foundation’s Advisory Board, funded two scholarships to honor the memory of her father, Major General Robert Wagner, who died in 2013. Major General Wagner had a distinguished 33-year Army career and served as the first Commanding General of Cadet Command at Fort Monroe, VA. The foundation found two perfect matches one year in its pile of applicants: Carolyn Denny and Kimberly Denny, twin sisters and Global Honors Program members in the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at the Mary Baldwin College. Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership is the only all-female cadet corps in the nation.

“The scholarships reflect his belief that women serve with distinction, his love for the Army as an institution, and his belief in the power of education to enrich individuals and institutions,” Caryn Wagner said. “He would be very proud of the recipients of the scholarships in his name.” www.MAE-kmi.com

Supporting W omen

in

S ervice

Besides the Legacy Scholarship Program, the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation honors soldiers in other ways, too. A long-standing part of its mission, the Foundation works to preserve the history of Army women, and promote public interest in the U.S. Army.

To achieve this, the Foundation operates several other programs.

The Bronze Memorial Plaque Program offers the opportunity to permanently honor deceased members of the Armed Forces, their friends and family, and the fallen heroes of current conflicts by placing their name on a bronze plaque that is located at the U.S. Army Women’s Museum at Fort Lee, Virginia.

The Foundation also has provided grants to help preserve the history of Army women through memorials and museum programs. In fact, the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation originally was the Women’s Army Corps Foundation that was founded in 1969 to raise money to build a WAC Museum at Fort McClellan, AL. One of its grants was used to fund research to examine and learn the economic and social impact of women’s service in the Army. That work, performed by George Mason University, was published in 2006. It found that service in the Army greatly influenced their educational advancement and played

an important role in their civilian careers once they left the Army.

The Army Women’s Foundation’s Hall of Fame program recognizes the extraordinary achievements of Army women and those who support them.

The Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame Awards are presented in March to women who have contributed extraordinary service to the Army or the Armed Forces and any individual who has made exceptional contributions to women in the Army or the Armed Forces.

All of the programs are designed to preserve the history and honor the service and sacrifice of Army women. Through grants and Hall of Fame programs, AWF continues to preserve the history of their contributions to the country. O For more information on the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation, go to www.awfdn.org.

For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

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course credit *As a spouse or dependent (living with active or veteran parent) you get the same reduced tuition and free materials/books.

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MAE&T July/August 12.4 | 21

Demonstrate mastery and move forward with competency-based education.

By Cali Morrison

First popularized in the 1970s, competency-based education (CBE) has become a fashionable innovation in higher education today. With hundreds of new programs popping up across the country, CBE presents a viable option for completing a degree while serving our country.

The prevailing definition of competency-based education comes from the Competency-based Education Network: “Competencybased education learners earn credentials by demonstrating mastery through multiple forms of assessment, often at a personalized pace.” In other words, CBE focuses on your demonstration of what you know and can do, rather than on where, when, or how you learned the skills to do it.

CBE is a good fit for the military learner as, in the very core of its operation, it recognizes the learning you gain every day on the job. Skills gained in military service translate not only to the classroom but beyond into the workforce. CBE gives you a way to have your mastery of the knowledge, skills, and abilities employers seek recognized by an accredited, respected institution of higher education.

So you’re likely now asking, “how does this work?” First, all CBE programs are a little different; they each have their own way of operating that is unique to the institution. However, in general, you enter a CBE program and pay for a subscription period or term of three, four or even up to six months. During this term, you can attempt as many competencies as you are able. To attempt a competency, you typically study utilizing provided materials and then take an authentic assessment, which requires you to demonstrate mastery of the competency by applying it to a real world situation.

For example, if you are in a competency on marketing, rather than being asked to explain what a marketing plan is, in authentic assessment you’ll be asked to create a marketing plan for some entity.

Each institution has their own way of recording your mastery. Some institutions use a pass/fail, some a mastered/not yet, 22 | MAE&T July/August 12.4

and some institutions will give you a grade. What’s important is in general, it’s not a one shot deal, you have multiple attempts at the assessments, building more mastery of the competency in the process.

As part of American Public University System, American Military University has long been recognized for educating those who serve. In an effort to continue to provide flexible, affordable programs, APUS recently launched Momentum, a direct assessment CBE program initially available for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice, emergency and disaster management, fire science management and retail management.

In short, Momentum measures students’ learning directly, through real-world application of knowledge, skills, and abilities, or competencies, which have been developed by our faculty and align with industry needs. Utilizing direct assessment allows us to focus on what our students learn, not how long they hang out in our virtual classrooms.

Students are never alone with Momentum, which may differ in other institutions. From the first conversation with an admissions representative, our students discover that everyone at APUS wants to see them succeed. Once enrolled each student will have an academic advisor, a faculty mentor, and a host of subject matter experts. Think of Momentum faculty mentors as a learning coach—they’ll help each student discover their strengths and will guide them in crafting their competency plan. Faculty mentors work with the student for the entire term, sometimes longer, helping them tie the academic threads through the competencies they are working on. Subject matter experts, who are part of our regular faculty, are ready to share their knowledge, to answer questions about competency topics, and to provide feedback on students’ work. All this in addition to being surrounded by the university’s entire support staff including career coaches, librarians, and more. www.MAE-kmi.com

Momentum students have their own virtual classroom through which they access their personalized, adaptive learning content. APUS has gone a step above in crafting our CBE programs by building them in an adaptive learning platform in which students take a diagnostic pre-assessment for each competency. This assessment drives their personalized learning content and advises their subject matter expert as they guide each student’s learning pathway toward their final mastery assessment.

The personalized learning content may include textbooks, primary sources, videos or interactive materials. What makes it personalized is the system it’s stored in, which learns from how our students interact with the material and the knowledge checks to feed students the content they need to gain mastery of the competency. While engaging with the content, students also have the opportunity to engage with the subject matter expert for the competency—to broaden their knowledge in the subject and receive feedback to guide their journey through the competency.

CBE can work for any learner who has the willingness to commit the time as well as the aptitude to work diligently in a mostly independent manner. While CBE students are supported, across the board, by faculty and professional staff, the typical interaction with other students in an online environment is not common in CBE. In order to accelerate learning, it helps if CBE learners have experience or prior learning in their field of study.

Additionally, as with any online learning, CBE learners need to

have access to a reliable internet connection and the hardware and software to connect with their virtual classroom. Support from a personal network of family and friends to help balance the load of school with the other life commitments is also crucial to succeeding as a CBE learner.

CBE is not an “easy way out.” Though it can potentially be faster, the pace at which a student moves through any such program is in their own hands. One student I interviewed during a qualitative study on CBE learners finished her associate degree in just nine months. But she committed time each and every day to work on her studies to reach that goal. If you are ready to put all you’ve learned in your prior studies, life, and through your military experience to the test, I urge you to consider a CBE program! O Cali Morrison is the Director of Alternative Learning at American Military University. Learn more about how the AMU program works, who an ideal Momentum student is, and what programs are being offered by visiting http://www.apus.edu/ momentum

For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

MIGUEL ORTIZ Bachelor of General Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice University of Nebraska at Omaha

Today is the day I give myself the advantage.

4 campuses. 100+ online programs.

“My today started when I found a university that worked with my lifestyle as I served my country, and effectively prepared me to achieve my future goals.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha offered me support while I earned my bachelor’s degree and balanced my military and family responsibilities.

Being in the military, quality and flexibility were important factors in selecting a degree program.

The Bachelor of General Studies program was great because it didn’t limit me to one area.

I was able to get a really diverse education that has prepared me as I now pursue my goals in law school. I consider my educational experience to be top-notch and am proud to have a degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.”

online.nebraska.edu

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MAE&T July/August 12.4 | 23

Psychological healthcare is imperative for veterans and servicemembers. By Lisa Cypers Kamen People who psychologically struggle often feel alone and like an outcast. Admitting something is wrong and that they need help is scary because of how others may respond to their “confession.” Feelings of shame, particularly for veterans and servicemembers who feel they must appear “strong,” may dissuade them from seeking out a professional in psychological healthcare. This is devastating because these professionals have the skill set to help them reconcile and better understand the challenges they face, and often desperately try to ignore.

It’s impossible for someone who knows they are not feeling right emotionally or mentally to ignore it for a long period of time. Eventually, something has to give. Instead of trying to find answers after something dire happens to a person or maybe even innocent parties, we need to change the perception of how psychological healthcare is viewed. By refusing to ignore it we are bringing awareness to an issue that is a serious problem. Furthermore, a conversation is created that is inclusive and encouraging, instead of stigmatizing.

Here are five steps we can take starting today that will help create a discussion that opens up doors for people who need help to receive it:

• Better define the role of the psychological healthcare provider Although counseling sessions are private, people tend to have an opinion of what happens during one. Sadly, unless you’re being helped, that opinion is often unfavorable. Psychologists and therapists do more than prescribe drugs and allow their patients to ramble on repeatedly. They allow them to release their emotions and then find healthy ways to resolve underlying issues and problems that are creating their challenges.

• Become aware that some solutions are easier than you may believe Certain psychological disorders are the result of a chemical imbalance. Take bipolar disorder, for example. This stems from a chemical imbalance and through a medication to restore the balance, someone who has suffered with uncertainty about their

New VA Online Tool for PTSD Treatments The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a new online tool this June, to help veterans compare various treatment options for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The PTSD Treatment Decision Aid is a free, interactive online tool that helps educate patients about effective treatment options for PTSD and encourages them to participate actively in decisions about their care.

“The health and well-being of the courageous men and women who have served their country in uniform is the VA’s highest priority,” said VA Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin. “The PTSD Treatment Decision Aid is an important step in putting veterans in control of their health care. By helping to bridge understanding and communication between veterans and providers about the most effective treatment options available,

24 | MAE&T July 12.4

we are ensuring veterans receive the treatments that best promote their healing and recovery.”

The tool includes information about evidence-based PTSD treatments, such as talk therapy and prescription medication options. It also includes useful information designed for people who have served in the military. Users can watch videos of providers explaining different treatment options and what to expect with those treatments, and hear from veterans who have benefited from them.

Veterans can also build a chart to compare the treatments they prefer and print a personalized summary to share with their providers. All personal information is erased once the tool is closed to protect users’ privacy.

According to VA findings, approximately eight of every 100 people will experience

PTSD at some point in their lifetimes, and almost 620,000 of the veterans treated by VA have a diagnosis of PTSD. “We know from research and our own clinical experience that veterans can recover and improve their quality of life with the right PTSD treatment plan,” said Dr. Poonam Alaigh, VA’s Acting Under Secretary for Health. “We want our Veterans and those who care for them to have access to effective treatment options. Knowing about the latest research can help them get the best care possible.”

To learn more about PTSD and to use the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid, visit the National Center for PTSD website at www. ptsd.va.gov. Health-care providers who have questions about the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid or other free resources can email the PTSD Consultation Program at PTSDconsult@va.gov or call 866-948-7880.

www.MAE-kmi.com

“ups and downs” in life for many years can quickly find that peace of mind that has always eluded them.

• Family education By educating the friends and family of someone who needs psychological care about the process we can take a significant step to reduce the stigma for the patient. This will offer them comfort and confidence that the people closest to them understand them better, therefore can be more supportive.

• Understand the root causes that lead to psychological challenges Conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are mostly associated with people who’ve served in the military during war times. However, any traumatic event that happens to a person at any age can create a stress-related disorder. At times, the person can be young enough that they don’t even recall the event that caused it, specifically. To add to understanding these types of situations, people should remember that just because one person can brush something off doesn’t mean that it’s a sign of weakness that another person cannot do the same.

• Improve insurance coverage for psychological healthcare Most insurance companies are very specific as to what they cover in the way of psychological healthcare. By having coverage options for mental health you are giving people a chance to heal, perhaps without ever having to take a drug at

all. Admittedly, therapy can be costly and if someone doesn’t have insurance they are deterred from investing in it, even when it would make a world of positive difference in their lives.

Through grants, funding, and de-stigmatizing this type of care more people who really need it will seek it out.

Nobody wants to see anyone struggle unnecessarily in their life.

Those who are living with psychological disorders that go untreated struggle so much—possibly even every minute of their waking day.

There is much that we can do on a private level to help shed light on the benefits of psychological care. Additionally, medical professionals, insurance companies, and qualified mental health programs can evolve the conversation from their end through outreach. It’s a joint initiative, and one that is worth everyone’s time and attention. O Lisa Cypers Kamen, MA is an internationally recognized applied positive psychology coach, author, speaker, documentary filmmaker and host of the popular radio show Harvesting Happiness. Her new book Are We Happy Yet: Eight Keys to Unlocking a Joyful Life released in March, 2017. For more information, visit www.arewehappyyet.com.

For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

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MAE&T July/August 12.4 | 25

Transition to Employment

By Janine Wert

At the 2017 CCME Symposium held March 7 to 9 in Atlanta, Ga., the roundtable discussion Transitioning Military and Veteran Career Employment – Preparation Seminars and Corporate Programs featured information regarding three programs focused on providing employment for transitioning military members and veterans. These programs featured three different sectors including a corporate program through Microsoft Corporation, a social media approach with RallyPoint, and an update on a Department of Defense program.

The Microsoft Corporation has long supported CCME and the transition of military members and veterans into career employment. Thomas Dawkins, Director, Workforce Development and Education, introduced the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA).

MSSA is a program designed to develop the skills necessary to meet the IT industry’s high demand for cloud developers, cloud administrators, database and business intelligence administrators and cybersecurity administration. Dawkins reviewed the requirements for attendees as well as the current nine locations for MSSA. He also highlighted six proposed expansion sites. Following completion of the Academy, each participant is guaranteed an interview with Microsoft, which hires a large proportion of the graduates.

More information regarding the MSSA is available at https://military.microsoft. com/training/mssa/.

RallyPoint Ventures, Inc. provides networking for military members and veterans. The group was represented by Dave Gowan, CEO. RallyPoint, often referred to as “LinkedIn for Military Members”, provides four different types of interactions for their members which include 26 | MAE&T July/August 12.4

Military Discussions, General Interest, Post Military Life and Employment & Transition. Gowan provided information on how RallyPoint connects members with employment opportunities.

Companies interact with RallyPoint members on subjects ranging from transition information, to resume development, to interview advice, to job postings.

Military members can join using their .mil email accounts and veterans may join by providing their discharge documentation. Non-military may join with limited access. RallyPoint allows members to begin asking questions and gathering information long before separating from service, so that the transition to career employment is less stressful. Additionally, RallyPoint enables companies to locate veterans with specific skills for job opportunities. More information regarding RallyPoint can be found at www.rallypoint.com Amy Moorash, Chief, Army Continuing Education presented the Army’s Career Skills Program update during the third roundtable. Moorash reviewed the pilot programs she instituted at Joint Base Ft. Lewis. Since then, the Career Skills Program has expanded to include 76 programs at 24 installations and 30 additional programs are under development. Moorash has been able to accomplish such exponential growth in this program through close corporate partnerships which provide the necessary resources and hiring opportunities. With a 93 percent employment rate of those who complete the program and over more than 3,700 soldier participants, Moorash is now partnering with the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps to continue program expansion. Additional information may be found at https://imcom.army.mil/

Organization/G1Personnel/CareerSkillsProgram.aspx As CCME refines our symposium programming to increase value-added information, the Board elected to elevate Transitioning Military and Veteran Employment to a general session panel presentation for the CCME 2018 Symposium. This will enable all conference attendees to participate, be informed and ask questions. CCME is dedicated to serving our members with best practices, especially related to employment, because the well-being of our military members, veterans and their families depend on these crucial career employment opportunities. O

Lane Huber

Note from Lane Huber, CCME President: CCME thanks Janine Wert, President-Elect for CCME, for her overview of the Transitioning Military and Veteran Career Employment Roundtable at the CCME Professional Development Symposium 2017. For more information about our organization, please visit CCMEonline.org, and please join us at our 2018 Professional Development Symposium in San Diego, CA, March 26-29, 2018. www.MAE-kmi.com

The advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers. KMI cannot be held responsible for discrepancies due to last-minute changes or alterations.

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Post University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 www.post.edu/military

University of Maryland University College/UMUC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 www.umuc.edu/mae

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 www.spartan.edu

University of Nebraska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 www.online.nebraska.edu

Calendar October 19-21, 2017 10th Annual MBA Veterans Career Conference and Expo Chicago, Ill.

January 4-6, 2018 Student Veterans of America’s 10th Annual National Conference San Antonio, Texas.

Studentveterans.org

In the Next Issue of:

March 26-29, 2018 CCME 2018 Professional Development Symposium San Diego, Calif. ccmeonline.org

September 2017 • Volume 12, Issue 5

Cover and In-Depth Interview with

Kelly Wilmeth

President National Association of Institutions for Military Education Services (NAIMES)

Special Section: Partnerships Building Resources

Features: MBA Degrees for Military Students Marine Corps Transition Assistance

Transition Trends • Degrees in Information Technology • Corporate Connection To advertise, contact Cheri Anderson at cheri@kmimediagroup.com or call (240) 277-0932

www.MAE-kmi.com

MAE&T July/August 12.4 | 27

UNIVERSITY CORNER

Military Advanced Education & Transition

Derrick R. Wood SSGT, United States Marine Corps, Military and Community Outreach Stratford University: Woodbridge Campus Q: Please provide a brief overview of your school’s history, mission and curriculum.

A: To understand our philosophy and ethics concerning veterans, their education, and their future, you have to understand our roots in the military. Stratford University was originally established as the American Transportation Institute under the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 194 4 (G. I. Bill) in 1976 by World War II Navy Veteran, Richard Shurtz, Sr. His son, Dr. Richard Shurtz II, a research physicist, former Fort Belvoir scientist, and holder of eighteen military patents from weapons systems to night vision technology, took over the school with his wife, Mary Ann Shurtz, in 1986. By 2001 ATI was rebranded as Stratford University. While our name has changed, our promise to those answering the call of their country has not.

Stratford University continues to be relentless in support of and commitment to veterans, active duty military members, and their families. From July 2014 through June 2015, Stratford hired an additional 34 veterans, increasing the overall percent of veterans to 12.4% of the total workforce. For a medium-to-largesized company that hired 46 veterans the year before and pledged an additional 30 for the next year, we have exceeded our own goals by 110%, placing these servicemen in leadership and management positions, earning competitive salaries and benefits packages.

Q: Why is hiring veterans a priority for Stratford?

A: We hire veterans on account of the advantage such associates earn us in the marketplace. By bringing nontechnical skills that cannot be described on a resume—persistence, problem-solving, decision making, attention to detail, and the ability to overcome obstacles with enthusiasm—veterans fulfill leadership positions better than most. Their 28 | MAE&T July/August 12.4

own experiences in the military theatre helps to ensure that, when called upon to review and contribute proposed policies for Stratford University, veterans and active duty students are kept in mind. The same consideration extends into the classroom where our servicemen also, on occasion, step in the role of instructors. Across our seven campuses, from Baltimore, MD to Virginia Beach, VA, we strive for consistency, offering programs designed to fit into the fluid, changing schedule of active military and the transitional one of a veteran.

Q: What is the “veteran advantage?”

A: The veteran advantage at Stratford University helps to create a contagious culture of “mission accomplishment” with a focus on getting the job done, and getting it done the best way, the right way. Veterans take pride in every assignment and are able to independently follow rules and schedules.

Empowered with those traits, these individuals become faithful, dedicated associates who bring invaluable traits need for not only personal success but the overall success of our institution. To have people of this quality as part of the Stratford team only helps in us achieving great things with the student body both here and visiting from overseas.

Attention to the “why” in hiring veterans and nurturing relationships with active

duty individuals is merely the beginning of how we regard those who serve. To meet our goal of proactively hiring veterans and active service personnel, Stratford University launched a series of initiatives involving over 30 job fairs a year, workshops, symposiums, and career fairs for veterans at places like Fort Lee, Quantico, Dahlgren Naval Station, Fort Belvoir, Boling Air Force Base, Andrews Air Force Base, and the Pentagon, just to name a few. Our hosting Military Appreciation Days at five campuses throughout the year granted veterans the opportunity to experience our campuses first hand prior to accepting positions. We also encourage and support a wide range of veteran activities as a matter of routine. At our Virginia Beach Campus, we hosted a V3 Training Seminar where over 40 veterans attended. We worked alongside the Virginia Veterans Corp, offering to host their first charity blood drive.

Between offering at each campus a onestop service for orientating active military and veteran students, to offering veterans the opportunity to train our recent hires, Stratford strives to ensure the transition from active duty to full time student or employee be a smooth one. We accomplish this through a cohesive team of veteran supporters that work diligently to ensure our veterans receive the best service possible.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

A: This is Stratford University, an institution founded by and founded for those brave individuals who served their country. Yes, we have evolved over the years, offering programs beyond our modest curriculum of 1976, but we have never lost sight of why we are here or where we are headed. Our respect for veterans and active duty personnel is unwavering; and when the rubber meets the road and the dust settles, the advantage we receive for hiring veterans remains clear: They make reliable, dedicated associates, driven to succeed. O www.MAE-kmi.com

BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

MILITARY ADVANCED EDUCATION & TRANSITION

2018 GUIDE TO COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

D.C. Measuring Best PracticesWashington, in Military/Veteran Education www.bpu.edu John Doe

BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

Advertising in Military Advanced Education & Transition’s 2018 Guide to Colleges & Universities is the smartest marketing investment your institution will make to maximize enrollment for the upcoming academic year. MAE&T offers three different options for enhancing your listing in the BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY magazine and on our redesigned searchable database—available year-round at www.mae-kmi.com!

Washington, D.C.

OPTION A

Printed BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITYGuide BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe School Logo (magazine and database) Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Contact Name, Title, Email Address Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 (magazine and database) Graduate Enrollment: 51 Shaded Background (magazine) Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 More Information Request Generator (database) Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s 300 X 300 Big Box Ad (database)

1• 2•

3• 4• 5•

DISPLAY ADVERTISERS will receive OPTION A UNIVERSITY BEST PRATICES COMPLEMENTARY as well as a “See Washington, our Ad D.C. on Page XX“ www.bpu.edu banner on the enhanced listing in the magazine and on our John Doe Military year-round Coordinator redesigned searchable database (available on our jdoe@bpu.edu website) Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

B

OPTION

1•

OPTION

C

2• 3• 4•

1• 2• 3•

School Logo (magazine and database) Contact Name, Title, Email Address (magazine and database) BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY Shaded Background (magazine) Washington, D.C. More Information Requestwww.bpu.edu Generator (database) John Doe Military Coordinator

Example

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe BEST PRACTICES UNIVERSITY Military Coordinator Washington, D.C. jdoe@bpu.edu www.bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 2 John Doe Graduate Enrollment: 51 Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

www.bpu.edu John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

1

BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

3

Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

D.C. Online GuideWashington, Example www.bpu.edu

2017 BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY

John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11 Average Class Size: 15-30 Accreditation: national Degrees Offered: bachelor’s, master’s

Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe

School Logo (magazine and database) Contact Name, Title, Email Address (magazine and database) Shaded Background (magazine)

For advertising opportunities, contact Cheri Anderson

BEST PRATICES UNIVERSITY Washington, D.C. www.bpu.edu John Doe Military Coordinator jdoe@bpu.edu Undergrad Enrollment: 1001 Graduate Enrollment: 51 Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:11

4 5

• cheri@kmimediagroup.com

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