McConville writes: “Frequent military moves often place financial hardships on service members (SM) and their families. For a spouse like me, 23 moves over my SM’s 42-year Army career, caused many challenging pivots in my own career. The new policy authorizing reimbursement of moving costs – up to $1,000 – associated with a spouse’s business is crucial in helping mitigate those financial hardships, in encouraging career sustainment and growth, and in enhancing SM retention.” Also, please view her .

Maury writes: “The new policy reimbursing military spouses up to $1,000 for business costs during moves addresses significant challenges highlighted in our latest data brief on . Our research shows that 46% of military spouses feel their status negatively affects their career prospects, driving many toward entrepreneurship. Despite 74% of military spouse entrepreneurs reporting that entrepreneurship positively impacts their professional lives, only 28% can fully support themselves or their families through their businesses. This reimbursement provides essential financial relief, supporting their resilience and entrepreneurial spirit, and helping them sustain and grow their ventures.”

Vanessa Marquette G’19, media relations specialist, and Daryl Lovell, associate director of media relations, both in the Division of Communications, were honored with separate awards.

Providing Support to Members of the Military

Marquette G’19 was recognized by the National Infantry Association (NIA) with the Shield of Sparta – Heroine of the Infantry award after her husband’s most recent deployment in Africa. This honor is awarded to a spouse who has contributed significantly to the infantry. The NIA’s goal is to recognize spouses of infantrymen and other soldiers in support roles whose contributions deserve special recognition. The award is a token of appreciation for the sacrifice and commitment demanded of the spouses and supporters of infantrymen and other soldiers. It further symbolizes these individuals as true patriots with selfless ideals and the courage to send their soldier into harm’s way.

Ryan and Vanessa Marquette

Marquette’s military connections go further back as her grandfathers and great-uncle all served in WWII in the Army and Navy. Her parents, retired Chief Master Sgt. Steven Slachta G’71 and retired Lt. Col. Yvonne Slachta, both served in U.S. Air Force active duty and reserve for almost 30 years. She endured much more than typical drill weekends and long training exercises as a child as both parents were deployed overseas at times. Not only is her husband currently serving, but her nephew is in the U.S. Navy too, where she has supported his last three deployments on the USS Harry S. Truman. Her family’s dedication—and her own understanding of the sacrifices that families make—ultimately inspired her commitment to give back to the military community and to military families in many ways.

For the last 13 years, Marquette has selflessly devoted her time to supporting her husband, Ryan J.D./MPA’22, a U.S. Army veteran and member of the Army National Guard; his fellow infantrymen and their families through her work on numerous family readiness groups, according to the award. Whether it was relocating to where her husband was stationed, serving as a mentor to military families by relying on her lessons learned and struggles encountered as a child during her parents’ deployments, Ryan’s previous deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa, and through her previous work at the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA), organizing events and ceremonies or just providing to military families in need, Marquette did all this while working full time—and never asked for anything in return. It was the sacrifices she made and the selfless support she provided for others, which made her an obvious candidate for this award.

Providing Support to Military Families

Daryl Lovell and Vanessa Marquette

Lovell was presented with the Service Member Patriot Award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in the Office of Secretary of Defense. This honor is given to employee supervisors and reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide range of measures, including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence if needed.

According to the award, Lovell showcased her knowledge that military service is not just a service member commitment but a family commitment. Often, employers do not understand the stressors and commitments that a military spouse endures which makes employers—often unintentionally—unsympathetic toward military spouses who request accommodations to their work schedule so that the service member’s spouse can see their spouses off as they deploy overseas and welcome them back upon their return.

Not only did Lovell provide support to Marquette before, during and after her husband was deployed, but she has also been supporting veterans and military families since she began at University. As the liaison for OVMA and IVMF she has maneuvered through occasionally challenging circumstances to get the job done and ensure the stories of veterans and military families are told. Whether it was being prepared at 5 a.m. to facilitate back-to-back Veterans Day media interviews for J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, attend the Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) program in Atlanta to support the new board member, or help promote the research that comes out of the IVMF Lovell makes it happen which made her beyond deserving of this award.

Recognizing the Support Provided

“Daryl and Vanessa embody what it takes for ���ϲ����� to be the Best Place for Veterans,” says Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation. “They are consistent supporters of our military-connected students and employees and use their professional talents to tell this important pillar of our university’s story. Staff play a large role in our University’s work on behalf of veterans and military families, and I am proud of Daryl and Vanessa for setting a stellar example for our community.”

Ryan Marquette was the driving force behind both of these nominations, recognizing how critical the support was that his wife provided him and how being part of a team that allowed her the flexibility to be there for him. He honored both Vanessa and Lovell during a Communications division meeting.

“Having not only one but two members on our media relations team recognized for their commitment to veterans and their families is something that we are very proud of,” says Ellen Mbuqe, executive director of media relations. “Surprising both of them on the same day in front of our entire division was truly an inspiring moment for everyone on our team and we have Ryan to thank for spearheading both of these honors.”

From left to right: Ryan Marquette, Daryl Lovell and Vanessa Marquette

Two “last dollar” scholarships will cover tuition expenses after a member uses all available tuition assistance (TA) funding each fiscal year, meaning there are no out-of-pocket tuition expenses between TA funding cycles. The scholarships apply to any ���ϲ����� online bachelor of professional studies degree in the and are open only to EANGUS members of the New York Army and Air National Guard (one scholarship for each service).

Two “full-tuition” scholarships cover all tuition expenses for any ���ϲ����� online undergraduate credit certificate (15 credits) in the College of Professional Studies. The scholarships are open to EANGUS members and their spouses of the New York Army and Air National Guard (one scholarship for each service).

“Our support of EANGUS and its New York state members is an extension of ���ϲ�����’s position as a national leader in supporting current and prior members and family members of the United States military,” says , dean of the College of Professional Studies. “These four scholarships dramatically expand access to ���ϲ����� for New York State Army and Air National Guard members who otherwise could not study with us full time on campus.”

The University’s enduring commitment to veteran and military-connected students dates back more than 100 years. Dedicated to being the and rated one of the best private schools for military-connected students, ���ϲ����� is the only private university in the Northeast that offers online and residential part-time undergraduate study to active-duty military, guard and reservists at their respective tuition assistance rates beyond the member’s annual benefit.

“We are excited to partner with ���ϲ����� and proud to offer our NY Enlisted Association members these wonderful scholarships,” says James M. Hokkanen, vice president (air) of the New York Enlisted Association of the National Guard. “The Enlisted Association knows how impactful these scholarships will be to our members and their families.”

New York State Army and Air National Guard members and family members interested in the scholarships will complete a competitive application with EANGUS. Finalists will be forwarded to the University to determine admissibility into an online undergraduate degree or undergraduate certificate. The scholarships will be awarded each academic year, with the first four scholarships for the Fall 2023 semester.

“���ϲ����� is excited to further its collaboration with the New York Air and Army National Guard,” says Liz Green, executive director of online student success and ���ϲ�����’s coordinator for New York Guard partnerships. “We’re committed to providing an unsurpassed academic experience for military-connected students, and these scholarships are a small but impactful way for us to extend that experience to Guard members in the state.”

With both sectors preparing for significant recruitment and enrollment challenges, ���ϲ����� and the University of Tennessee co-hosted a first-of-its-kind, two-day summit to explore how higher education and the federal government could partner up to better support our nation’s service members.

Chancellor Kent Syverud

Held during the 50th anniversary of the end of the military draft and the birth of America’s all-volunteer force, “The All-Volunteer Force at 50: Higher Education and America’s Volunteer Military” summit saw more than two dozen university chancellors and presidents from across the country meet with senior government officials in the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address some of the most pressing challenges facing veterans and the long-term sustainability of an all-volunteer armed services.

“We can work together for the common good, and that’s special. We need to create clear pathways to opportunities for enlisted persons, and we need to tell their stories if we expect our enlisted service system to continue working. The pathways need to include much less siloed cooperation, moving back and forth between jobs, academia and the military to create those pathways,” told the summit attendees during his closing remarks.

More than two dozen university chancellors and presidents from across the country met with senior government officials in the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to address some of the most pressing challenges facing veterans and the long-term sustainability of an all-volunteer armed services.

Seven Key Takeaways

Kori Schake, senior fellow and director of foreign and defense policy with the American Enterprise Institute, moderated the panel discussion “Where Do We Go From Here?” and summarized the key takeaways as the following:

• Understanding the difference between being veteran friendly (think social media posts touting the benefits of attending a university) and veteran ready (providing the resources, support and access to education that sets members of the military-connected community up for success).
• Improving higher education’s access to the DoD, including nearby military bases.
• Understanding how to navigate DoD bureaucracy, including communicating with military-connected individuals to ensure they understand the process and costs of earning a degree.
• Establishing VA pilot programs to see what’s working for veterans, and what support they need to succeed.
• Creating community for all veterans on campus.
• Reimagining education, military service and work as an ecosystem of exchange, including what the lifecycle in that ecosystem looks like for service members.
• Conveying student veteran best practices to the DoD and VA.

J. Michael Haynie

“How can we think differently about our relationship, and maybe explore opportunities to collaborate and partner moving forward? One of the drivers of volunteerism for military service today is service as a pathway to education. How can we make access to higher education easier, more accessible, more affordable, and by doing so, create more of a push to national service?” said , founder and executive director of the (IVMF).

An Obligation to Make Sure Veterans Reach Their Full Potential

Summit participants agreed that changes need to come, and soon, including altering the narrative around veterans who serve. Matt Amidon, senior advisor with the George W. Bush Institute, said young people view veterans as either heroes who deserve to be lauded or victims to feel sorry for, thanks to their depiction in films and television shows, instead of valued community members who just want to focus on their goals as civilians once they transition out of active duty.

Also, instead of viewing veterans as outsiders in society, University of Montana President Seth Bodnar, a U.S. Army veteran, pointed to the use of compelling storytelling to help spotlight how military-connected students can enhance a college campus.

“Let’s not ‘otherize’ our veterans by acting like they’re not part of our society. I get that military service is so concentrated, but our veterans are not a separate part of our society; they are an integral part, and we have an obligation to make sure every member of our veteran community can reach their unique, full potential,” Bodnar said during the panel, “Competition vs. Collaboration: Common Challenges Make Us Better Together.”

A different mentality is needed too, when it comes to recruiting the next class of veterans to higher education.

“Instead of competing, maybe we can think about innovative ways to collaborate and to partner to the betterment of both institutions,” said Haynie.

Eliminating Barriers to Higher Education

Each year, more than 200,000 military members make the transition from active duty to civilian life, with 74% of that population pursuing a higher education degree once their service has ended.

But only 60% of veterans take advantage of their post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, while 19% of veterans won’t use their benefits because they think it’s too difficult to navigate through higher education or they don’t have enough knowledge about their benefits.

“How can everyone who has served and earned that right, which they’re entitled to, take advantage of their benefits? This is part of paying and rewarding those who made the sacrifice with their hard-earned benefits,” said Joseph Garcia, executive director of education service in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Ashish S. Vazirani, the Department of Defense’s deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, delivered the keynote address at the summit.

There are currently 2.3 million active and reserve service members in the U.S., and 75% of enlistees come from military legacy families, meaning their decision to serve was inspired by someone they know who had a history of service, said Ashish S. Vazirani, the DoD’s deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness who delivered the keynote address.

“Younger Americans are not exposed to the unique and compelling stories of service and the pathways to education offered by service. The military embraces most of the values these young people seek in life and in a career,” Vazirani said.

“We’re Going to Work Forward, Together”

As the summit drew to a close, there was a sense of optimism that the core principles addressed during the two-day gathering would lead to momentum and sustained change moving forward.

“I’ve been to ���ϲ����� three times before [to discuss this topic] and up until this visit, the conversation was always linear and one-way,” said Brent Orrell, senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute. “But today we had productive conversations that were not linear but an ecosphere of exchanges between the institutions. Each of these institutions are working to progress toward the same ends of creating a stronger America.”

“This summit was never intended to be a one and done. It was intended to be a call to action on a critical problem facing our military and our country. We’re going to work forward, together,” added Chancellor Syverud.

These scholarships, along with others offered throughout the academic year, support military-connected students and are made possible entirely through the generosity of donors and stakeholders.

Since 2017, the OVMA has distributed more than a half million dollars in financial scholarships to military-connected students and has $1.2 million available to continue making these scholarships available in future semesters.

For the spring semester, the OVMA is proud to make the following scholarships available.

Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Undergraduate Student Veteran Scholarship

• $5,000 awarded to one eligible applicant
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Military Family Member Scholarship

• $5,000 awarded to one eligible applicant
• Must be a currently enrolled student who identifies as a military family member and/or dependent

Gerald B. Faigle Jr. and Roberta M. Faigle Student Veteran Endowed Scholarship��

• $3,000 for one eligible applicant
• Must be a currently enrolled veteran and/or military-connected student
• Preference will be given to graduate students

Lucy and Joseph Napoli Veteran Endowed Scholarship

• $3,100 awarded to one eligible applicant
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

Louis A. and Patricia H. Mautino Veteran Endowed Scholarship

• $3,000 awarded to one eligible applicant
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

Richardson Family Scholarship for Military Family Members and Dependents

• $2,500 for one eligible applicant
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student who identifies as a military family member and/or dependent

For application instructions and submission, visit . Those interested in learning how they can support military-connected students at ���ϲ����� are encouraged to .

OVMA Connect through the PeopleGrove platform offers a new way to match students and alumni with mentors based on their interests, career objectives and career exploration. OVMA believes that the best college experience is more than just getting a degree. Students and alumni alike should look beyond the classroom for areas of personal and professional development. OVMA Connect empowers student veterans to unlock social capital and learn from others who have been in their shoes through mentorship connections.

No matter the phase of their career, a mentoring program will help both students and alumni get through it. Users can get exposure to different industries and jobs, resume advice and hone their interview skills. Employers are looking for specific skills and experience on OVMA Connect that may open doors for students. There are also highly qualified alumni to provide informational interviews, job shadows, mock interviews, resume reviews and more to support users.

OVMA Connect’s unique access provided to alumni differentiates the platform. Whether a user is a recent graduate or lifetime member, the ability to connect and receive help is the same. The service will connect mentors and their mentees in an organized and managed way, allowing a virtual space for relationships to live and grow. Landing jobs can be hard, but a strong mentoring relationship on OVMA Connect can help.

During the onboarding or signup on OVMA Connect, the platform’s artificial intelligence suggests matches between students, alumni and mentors. This process allows students and alumni to highlight their interests and areas of strength. Through the platform, users can schedule mock interviews, network, have their resumes reviewed or they can find internships and full-time jobs. As users interact, they can receive and provide feedback. For example, on a post-mentoring engagement, one student stated, “[My mentor] posted excellent questions and listened politely to my responses. I would be happy to work with him in the future.” Mentees can also send emails directly to mentors requesting connections. The mentor of interest could be someone who shared similar educational experiences, holds a position of interest to the student or simply be someone who is kind enough to talk with you. In addition, the platform can be used as a great tool to track career trajectories as students, alumni and mentors engage with one another to create meaningful and impactful connections.

OVMA Connect continues to grow every week. It gives students access to opportunities and people that help them discover the right career and provides alumni with a chance to share advice and discover budding students. Membership is free for life and takes just two minutes by registering on the .

Fifty years after they last stepped foot on campus, Bernie and Louise are making a return with a gift to support Ph.D. candidates through the D’Aniello Institute for Veteran and Military Families (IVMF). Through this generous gift, they hope students who are in positions like the ones they were in during their time on campus will benefit from the additional support.

Sometimes Second Is Better Than First

When it came time to write his master’s thesis, Bernie couldn’t get his first topic choice as it was already taken by another student.

“The topic I wanted was public infrastructure, but somebody else got it. So, I ended up with [my second choice] the topic of manpower planning,” Bernie says. “I wrote a master’s thesis on cost-benefit analysis of manpower training. And that’s how I got into the manpower business.”

Meanwhile, Louise was experiencing the full force of winter in ���ϲ����� as she looked to enroll in the master of social work program. “I interviewed during the snowstorm of ’66 and remember walking through snow to the interviewee’s house,” Louise says. While initially unsure of her ability to afford to attend ���ϲ�����, the National Institute of Mental Health stepped up and awarded Louise a grant that would go on to shape her experience in the field of social work. Louise would ultimately graduate in 1968 while Bernie finished his Ph.D. while posted to the Pentagon.

As if it were destiny, Bernie was drawn into the manpower business through his Ph.D. He says he happened upon a flyer that offered a dissertation fellowship sponsored by the Manpower Administration of the Department of Labor. “They [the Department of Labor] were buying a whole generation of labor economists at the point where just a few dollars made a difference,” says Bernie. The fellowship paid tuition as well as support for attending conferences and travel to do necessary research.

After fulfilling his military commitment, Bernie joined the RAND Corporation as a research economist. He ended up supporting the efforts of the U.S. Air Force while at RAND and then, propelled yet again by his earlier Ph.D. work on manpower planning, was selected by the Carter administration to serve in the Navy secretariat. Eventually, this led to his appointment as the director of the Selective Service System. Later, after a return tour at RAND, Bernie was asked by the Clinton administration to serve as the assistant secretary of the Navy, then undersecretary of the Army, and finally as the undersecretary of defense for personnel. During their careers in and out of government Bernie and Louise worked to improve schooling for military children, provide affordable childcare for Navy and Marine Corps families, expand employment opportunities for military spouses, secure needed medical care for veterans of the Persian Gulf War and champion equal opportunities for all to serve their country in the armed forces.

Establishing the New Fund

After an illustrious career, Bernie began to explore options with Louise on how and where to give back. The pair ultimately reminisced on their time at ���ϲ����� and Bernie recalled his experience in the Ph.D. program. After reaching out to the University they decided to set up a fund through the IVMF with the hope of supporting a Ph.D. candidate, similar to how Bernie received external funding during his Ph.D. program.

“If you look at what I have proposed here, in terms of dissertation support, it’s kind of like the support I got from the Department of Labor,” says Bernie. “So, setting up this fund was with the intent and hope to do something helpful along the lines of what the Department of Labor did for me.”

As part of the , the Bernard D. and Louise C. Rostker IVMF Dissertation Research Fund supports interdisciplinary dissertation research on veteran- and military family-related topics to be conducted by ���ϲ����� Ph.D. candidates through the IVMF. The fund can be used to accommodate travel costs, software and equipment purchases, research or academic conferences, and fieldwork and data gathering.

“While I’m trained as an economist, the RAND Corporation is famous for having an interdisciplinary approach, more so than any other institution. I didn’t want this [research fund] to be just for economists, I wanted it to be interdisciplinary,” Bernie says. “I would like to see people who produce doctoral quality work receive their degree in whatever discipline supports veterans and military families.”

The fund application is open to doctoral candidates from all ���ϲ����� schools and colleges and it will support one or more Ph.D. candidate(s) doing dissertation research on veteran- and/or military family-related topics.��Interested and qualified candidates can .

In the story for the Associated Press, Heflin discusses the growing issue of food insecurity among military families amidst the pandemic. She discusses the Pentagon’s denial of this problem, saying, “In my experiences, it’s hard to explain this to Department of Defense officials. They find it embarrassing and something they would not like to acknowledge.”

The changes our nation has experienced, both at home and abroad, are considerable and hastening. Economic conditions are uncertain, the federal budget is under significant pressure, and public attention is shifting away from overseas threats to domestic, social, and public health concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

And while we continue in this uncertain environment with a promising and optimistic future, it is imperative for public and private sector stakeholders who serve veterans to assess, adapt where necessary, and focus future policy, investments, and limited resources toward their best use to ensure this generation of veterans thrives for the next decade and beyond.

Here are the main areas of focus:

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COVID-19 has had a major impact on small businesses. Many small, independently owned businesses have had to reevaluate how they operate during this trying time. Some have been successful; some have started as an opportunity to help people in their communities; and some veteran-owned businesses are reeling and struggling to remain afloat.

In one study of veteran entrepreneurs, 65% of veteran entrepreneurs indicated their military experience has prepared them for the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, 68% indicate that they do not anticipate closing their business, while 32% anticipate closing or have closed their business. Of those who anticipate closing, 13% can operate for less than three months, 47% can operate between six and 12 months, and 40% can operate more than a year. Top resource needs during this past year are centered on access to capital, contracting assistance, and day-to-day operations. Of course, these trends differ based on the industry, gender, race/ethnicity and location of the veteran small business.

It’s still too early to determine the long-term effects the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the veteran business community at large. Therefore, it must be a priority to continue to monitor the situation as we continue to adapt our business.

Employment

The unemployment rates during COVID-19 were at the highest early in the recession with April-June 2020 having the highest unemployment rates for veterans. Even though unemployment rates showed gradual declines mid-year, the numbers are not at pre-pandemic levels. Although trends vary depending on where they are and what industry they are in, some subgroups of veterans were hit harder:

• Younger veterans, ages 18-34
• Women post-9/11 veterans
• Minority veteran populations
• Older veterans

The unemployment rate for military spouses has always been on average higher – 3 to 4 times higher – than the veteran unemployment rate, and this past year was no different. Fluctuation existed throughout the year and for some, military spouses had to adjust their work schedules to help with their children’s education. Despite military spouse hiring initiatives, military spouses still perceive employers as reluctant to hire and promote them. As potential solutions, they identify work schedule flexibility, hiring through corporate employers with multiple locations, and reasonable accommodations from commands for service members to maintain work-life balance.

We have been preparing for another recession since 2011, a time when veteran unemployment was at double digits. Since 2011, there has been a growing interest in public and private sector programs, increased collaboration, and improved educational benefits such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on military-connected employment is unclear, but it is remarkable that the current infrastructure is established, mature, and ready to support veterans who have been impacted by the pandemic.

One study of active-duty military families found that military spouses who indicated their employment was impacted by COVID-19 reported more severe financial impacts than those whose employment status was not affected by the pandemic. Preliminary findings from a related study indicate the lack of available childcare options, absence of flexible work options, difficulty juggling work and children’s educational support, and layoffs and furloughs throughout the pandemic has contributed to a change in employment status, with many military spouse respondents reporting they had stopped working or reduced their work hours at some point since March 2020.

Mental Health

The use of telehealth was in place prior to COVID-19, but the pandemic has rapidly accelerated its use. Yet there continue to be reported barriers to obtain mental health care.

COVID-19 is altering how services are delivered and resources allocated, and the pandemic is highlighting urgent mental health needs in general as well as those within the veteran populations. As the pandemic continues, veterans will continue to need access to reliable programs, services, and physical and mental health treatment, while avoiding unnecessary exposure to the virus.

In one study, nearly one-quarter of active-duty military family respondents reported that COVID-19 has resulted in major or severe impacts on their own overall happiness and mental health, as well as to their children’s mental health.

Education

COVID-19 has presented significant challenges for student veterans.��Approximately 74% of student veterans in a recent survey indicated they are concerned with how COVID-19 will impact their educational goals, and nearly one-third indicated they have experienced a reduction in their work hours.

As COVID has undoubtedly altered the traditional education of college students nationwide, student veterans need targeted support considering the recent disruptions. The shift to online coursework has exacerbated the complexity and uncertainty associated with Post-9/11 GI Bill funding, as coordination and late payments across university departments disrupt the academic progress of student veterans.

Researchers available for an interview:

Rosalinda Vasquez Maury

Rosalinda Vasquez Maury
Director of Applied Research and Analytics
���ϲ����� Institute for Veterans and Military Families

��

Misty Stutsman

Misty Stutsman Fox
Director of the Entrepreneurship and Small Business portfolio
���ϲ����� Institute for Veterans and Military Families

To request interviews or for more information:

Daryl Lovell
Media Relations Manager
Division of Marketing and Communications

M��315.380.0206
dalovell@syr.edu |
news.syr.edu |

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Nicholas Armstrong

Nicholas Armstrong, managing director of research and data at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, wrote an op-ed for The Hill titled “.” Armstrong is also an adjunct professor of public administration and international affairs in the Maxwell School.

Armstrong recognizes that for many military service members, the process of coming home can be more difficult than being away, as families have to manage joining a new community, creating a new identity and finding a new career all at once.

Additionally, Armstrong says that the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the economy and job market has only heightened these difficulties. Therefore, Armstrong argues, it is more important than ever for the government to partner with the private, social and public sectors in supporting the military-to-civilian transition.

When service members return home, they must participate in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), a week-long course where they learn about their new Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and how to find a job. While beneficial, Armstrong says that there needs to be more support for service members than TAP. “We need to consider this fact: even a perfectly designed and implemented TAP will still be insufficient to fully support a successful military-to-civilian transition,” Armstrong writes.

Armstrong advocates for policymakers to “shift their focus from employment, to employability,” as research has shown it is valuable for veterans to learn skills that continuously support their career growth. He also calls for an investment in programs that extend beyond TAP, such as certification programs that allow veterans to gain credentials for jobs, as these programs have shown to be effective for service members.

While Armstrong recognizes the importance of TAP, he believes that additional programs will greatly help service members in their return home. “The new Congress and administration must make it a priority to expand public-private partnerships with nonprofit organizations that deliver data-driven interventions during and after the service member’s separation,” Armstrong concludes.

To read his essay in its entirety, visit the .

���ϲ����� media relations team members work regularly with the campus community to secure placements of op-eds. Anyone interested in writing an op-ed should first review the University’s op-ed guidelines and email media@syr.edu.

The first program in the series, “Finding True North in the Midst of Change: Veteran Transition from Military to College and College to Work,” will be held Friday, Oct. 16, from noon-1:30 p.m. on Zoom. is open now.

“This first event is an opportunity to discuss the challenge of transitioning from military service to higher education and then the workplace. Our panelists will share advice, strategies and stories that will be helpful to veterans, veterans service coordinators, higher education faculty and future employers,” says Eileen Schell, coordinator of the Moral Injury Project and professor of writing and rhetoric in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The program panel will feature Jennifer Reddy, associate director of continuing education at Le Moyne College and Moral Injury Project member since 2015, and Jennifer Jeffery ’14 G’17, an academic librarian at SUNY Potsdam and veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, in which she served for seven years. Both have experience working in academic and career services for veterans to help reintegrate them into their communities and discover a sense of belonging outside of the military culture. Michael Venditte, an Army veteran and Le Moyne College graduate, will also serve on the panel. Venditte served as president of the Le Moyne College Student Veterans Association as a student, and since his graduation has continued to work with the Moral Injury Project.

In addition to presenting on the challenges of veteran transition, the panel will address how colleges and universities, employers and the public at large can educate themselves and support successful transitions.

The fall Moral Injury Project series is built around two key terms: transition and moral injury. The first term—transition—involves undergoing a period of change and re-direction that affects a person’s identity and self-development. The second key term is moral injury, which refers to the damage done to one’s conscience or moral compass when that person perpetrates, witnesses or fails to prevent acts that transgress one’s own moral beliefs, values or ethical codes of conduct.

The Nov. 11 program,�� “Finding True North through Writing: Veterans Sharing Their Stories on Veteran’s Day” will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. on Zoom and will be moderated by group leaders and Schell and Ivy Kleinbart, writing instructor in the College of Arts and Sciences. The program will feature readings by members of�� the ���ϲ����� Veterans’ Writing Group.

The third program, “Finding True North Through Building Trauma Resiliency,” will be held Nov. 20, from 12-1:30 p.m. on Zoom. The program will feature Bill Cross, a Vietnam veteran and practicing psychotherapist in ���ϲ����� who has worked with military veterans and their families for over 35 years. He will discuss his work with trauma resiliency, as well as his own story as a Vietnam veteran and veteran advocate.

Registration for all programs is free and required. Attendees will be invited to participate in a question and answer session during each program. Please register through Zoom here:�� ������and .

Communication Access Realtime Transcription (CART) services will provide captioning for each program and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided. For questions or to request additional accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901. For more information, visit .

is the senior director for research and evaluation at ���ϲ�����’s (IVMF). He says the legislation further highlights the critical need for coordinated networks of resources, services and care for veterans.

Armstrong says:

“For more than six years now, veterans have persistently cited navigating benefits and services as a top challenge in multiple studies across the country, including our own. This bill highlights the critical role for coordinated networks of resources, services, and care in communities. Communities are where military families transition and seek services, and no one entity can do it alone.

“IVMF research has found that navigating the sea of services and benefits is a top challenge among veterans nationwide. Coordinated networks are like community safety nets making sure people don’t slip through the cracks – that they have a ride to their doctor’s appointment – wherever that appointment may be, that they have safe and accessible housing, can find a job, have access to financial support in an emergency, receive a benefits review, along with a spectrum of other services.

“Coordinated approaches like allow military families to receive services that extend beyond the VA, whether to other healthcare entities or other public sector agencies, as well as a range of organizations that treat the social determinants of health.”

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“Being in the military is very much a family affair,” she said. “Both of my parents are retired Air Force veterans. They were away more often than being home. In a sense that prepared me for the life of a military spouse. I was used to learning new things and becoming independent at an early age. What it didn’t prepare more for, though, was the struggle to come after college.” For the full article, follow the link here:

“What does doing better mean? It means acknowledging in our public policy and public discourse that we put our security at risk when we do not adequately care for, support and empower our military families. It means that both the public and private sectors must join together and act to make strengthening our military families a national priority. It means that building a prosperous and safe nation for future generations requires that we treat our military families as a treasured national resource. That would be better.”

Hear more in the story, “.”

“The hearing was on the state of military families,” Haynie said. “The Senate was interested in learning a little bit about the work we do at the Institute here at ���ϲ����� and talking about how our nation supports the families behind our service members.”

“Children growing up in those families are growing up with a mother or father that is deployed overseas where there is ongoing conflict and combat,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve really come to understand the impact that growing up in a military family will have on these children.”