Experienced veterans, business and philanthropy leaders, and experts collaborated to create resources
The scars of 9/11 still can be seen in people’s face. This inhuman act brought miseries and communal disturbances among the most affected people. Remedies and solutions for readjustment were provided by the U.S. government and some handful of companies at their best. However, many veterans are still struggling to live a peaceful life. PsychArmor Institute, a national non-profit organization supports military service members, came forward to provide them educational resources for re-settlement.
Every year, approximately 200,000 service members leave the military and return to civilian life with urgent transition support. A 2018 Veterans Affairs report revealed the unmet needs of transitioning members after noting that no single agency has the resources or tools to support all former service members.
Moreover, the Pew Research Center finds 44% of post 9/11 veterans reported that their readjustment to civilian life was difficult.
Opportunities for veterans to rebuild the pride
PsychArmor Institute launched a new course portfolio, “Transitioning Service Members & Their Families,” to provide service members and veterans with the information, tools, and other educational resources needed to be successful in today’s workforce and in the community.
The lack of structure provided by the military, veterans may experience difficulties in translating their diverse, unique skills to civilian careers. To resolve the dramatic settlement, the course is designed to help veterans track their specific needs with video solutions;
- Resources like the new PsychArmor Institute videos are aligned to the strategic priorities of the Department of Labor, Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense, which will help veterans more easily access the support available to them.
- Supported by the Schultz Family Foundation the series of 13 videos will cover the topics such as building an effective transition plan to resume writing.
- Each course is composed of visuals, engaging style by experienced veterans, business and philanthropy leaders, and subject matter experts.
Available anytime for free online, the video courses support and expand on educational resources offered locally and nationally by federal agencies. The portfolio contains the following courses:
- What You Should Know About Transition – Dr. Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense & Howard Schultz, co-founder of the Schultz Family Foundation and former CEO of Starbucks
- How to Build a Successful Transition Plan – General Pete Chiarelli, U.S. Army (Ret.)
- Preparing Your Finances for Transition – Harriet Dominique, USAA Educational Foundation
- Making Connections and Networking – Captain Florent Groberg, U.S. Army (Ret.), Medal of Honor recipient
- Telling Your Story – David Vobora, Adaptive Training Foundation
- Understanding and Utilizing Your Educational Benefits – Honorable Patrick Murphy, former Under Secretary of the Army & former Congressman
- Choosing a College and Major – Dr. Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense & Jared Lyon, Student Veterans of America
- The Job Search – Howard Schultz, co-founder of the Schultz Family Foundation and former CEO of Starbucks & General Carol Eggert (Ret.), Comcast NBCUniversal
- Creating Resumes and Cover Letters – Matt Miller, formerly of Department of Labor VETS
- Interviewing – General Gary Profit (Ret.), Walmart
- Understanding the VA for You and Your Family – Wendy Torres, Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration
- Accessing Healthcare – Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy, former Congressman & founder of the Kennedy Forum
- Seeking Support – Dr. Keita Franklin, formerly of Veterans Affairs, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
The above online video courses are flexible learning opportunities that are designed to be compatible with the changing demographics of the military.
Schultz Family Foundation focuses its efforts on two communities with enormous promise: the 4.5 million youth and young adults aged between 16 and 24 who are out of school and out of work, and the 3.8 million post-9/11 veterans.
