Published at Oct 7 2008 12:00AM Category: College/Campus News
Speaking in the Technical Center on the Rockville Campus, Hospital Corpsman First Class and Operation Enduring Freedom Navy veteran Lee Becker reminded attendees that "military service members are our national treasures." Becker was one of the speakers on hand for the first of three Combat2College (C2C) lecture and discussions. "Lets focus on success and work to change the stigmas that are out there about our returning veterans," said Becker, who told the audience of his own struggles to cope with civilian life after active duty. "We have the training, the skills... How do we apply that to life in general?"C2C is a new comprehensive program at the Rockville Campus to welcome home and provide academic opportunities and appropriate support services for veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
C2C demonstrates that it is possible to create a "veteran friendly" college using efficient and inexpensive interventions. The interventions do not disrupt the activities of the college, rely heavily on existing resources, and essentially have a small and non-disruptive footprint. The program provides assistance to veterans with mental health problems so that they may have an effective college experience, but it also addresses and seeks to provide benefit to all veterans, even those who deny or refuse to identify themselves as being in difficulty or needing services.
The first speaker, Joseph Bleiberg, is a senior fellow at the National Rehabilitation Hospital and a clinical associate professor in the Department of Neurology at Georgetown University's School of Medicine. Bleiberg said that traumatic brain injuries (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain are the "New Triad" of war injuries and classified TBI as "the signature injury of this war."
Also joining Becker and Bleiberg in the discussion was Stacey Pollack, Ph.D., the director of the Trauma Services Program for the United States Department of Veteran Affairs.There are two more C2C lecture and discussions scheduled. The entire College community is encouraged to attend and learn about our veterans' experiences.
October 31: THE WARRIORImage in Literature and Mythology of the Warrior and the Returning Warrior Personal Account of the Warrior and Transition to Civilian Life
Presenters:
Professor Joan Naake
Professor Tammy Peery
Eric Beauchamp, Combat Veteran
Mientien Ngyuen, Combat Veteran
Michael Sepulvado, Combat Veteran
November 21: CLINICAL ISSUES Traumatic Brain Injury Combat Stress and PTSD Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal Issues Discussion of Combined Medical/Psychological Issues in the Returning Warrior
Presenters: TBA
This series is facilitated by Montgomery College's Combat2College faculty and staff.
http://insidemc.montgomerycollege.edu/showStory.php?id=5971
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