From Combat to Commencement: Integrating Veterans on Campus

This project represents a snapshot of the Westminster College community's journey increasing Veteran integration on campus. These initial efforts have already visually improved the education of several Veterans and enriched the fabric of the community. My support of our journey first asked how military service impacted the Veteran's relationships with the collegiate teaching community and learning content. I teamed with advocates and Veterans to ask how the community could positively impact those relationships. The project integrated Veterans and advocates in an ongoing effort to place research in motion. Semi-structured interviews with Veterans, meetings with Veteran advocacy groups, and individual discussions with faculty were filtered through a developed nested learning spectrum. The nested spectrum separated the unseen learning elements; spirituality, bodily subsystem, individual, social, cultural, societal, and ecological wavelengths that are central to meaningful learning relationships. This analysis was parlayed into several initiatives deigned to actively improve Veteran integration on campus. The next stage in the community's journey requires the imbedding of Veteran inclusion by establishing an enduring committee tasked with cultivating integration initiatives from initial Veteran interest through their graduation. Future academic research ought to look at Veteran narratives individually through the nested spectrum to qualitatively evaluate Veteran learning relationships.

FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT: INTEGRATING VETERANS ON CAMPUS by Bevan Troy Llewelyn A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in Community Leadership Westminster College Salt Lake City, Utah May 2013 ©Copyright 2013 Bevan Troy Llewelyn All Rights Reserved Approval of a project submitted by Author's Name: Bevan Troy Llewelyn School/Department: School of Education Title of Project: From Combat to Commencement: Integrating Veterans on Campus The above named master's project has been read by each member of the supervisory committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citations, bibliographic style, and consistency, and is ready for submission to the Westminster College Library. ______________________ ________________________________________________ Date Chairperson, Supervisory Committee Approved for the School ______________________ ________________________________________________ Date Dean, School Abstract This project represents a snapshot of the Westminster College community's journey increasing Veteran integration on campus. These initial efforts have already visually improved the education of several Veterans and enriched the fabric of the community. My support of our journey first asked how military service impacted the Veteran's relationships with the collegiate teaching community and learning content. I teamed with advocates and Veterans to ask how the community could positively impact those relationships. The project integrated Veterans and advocates in an ongoing effort to place research in motion. Semi-structured interviews with Veterans, meetings with Veteran advocacy groups, and individual discussions with faculty were filtered through a developed nested learning spectrum. The nested spectrum separated the unseen learning elements; spirituality, bodily subsystem, individual, social, cultural, societal, and ecological wavelengths that are central to meaningful learning relationships. This analysis was parlayed into several initiatives deigned to actively improve Veteran integration on campus. The next stage in the community's journey requires the imbedding of Veteran inclusion by establishing an enduring committee tasked with cultivating integration initiatives from initial Veteran interest through their graduation. Future academic research ought to look at Veteran narratives individually through the nested spectrum to qualitatively evaluate Veteran learning relationships. STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO DUPLICATE THESIS & DEPOSIT/DISPLAY IN THE INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORY Name of Author: Bevan Troy Llewelyn School/Department: School of Education Title of Project: From Combat to Commencement: Integrating Veterans on Campus With permission from the author, on the basis of an occasional and individual request, the staff of the Giovale Library of Westminster College has the right to make a copy of the above named project. The Giovale Library staff also has the right to mail or otherwise disseminate a copy to the requesting party and to be reimbursed by the requesting party for the cost of duplicating and mailing the project. I hereby give my permission to the staff of the Giovale Library of Westminster College to duplicate as described the above named project. ________________________________________________________________________ Signature of Author Date With permission from the author, the staff of the Giovale Library of Westminster College has the right to deposit and display an electronic copy of the above named project in its Institutional Repository for educational purposes only. I hereby give my permission to the staff of the Giovale Library of Westminster College to deposit and display as described the above named project. I retain ownership rights to my work, including the right to use it in future works such as articles or a book. ________________________________________________________________________ Signature of Author Date The above duplication and deposit rights may be terminated by the author at any time by notifying the Director of the Giovale Library in writing that permission is withdrawn. Dedication I dedicate this project to Catherine Llewelyn my co-pilot, my best friend, my partner, my wife. Your love, compassion, understanding, and strength make our journey blissful. Acknowledgements Veterans of Westminster, thank you for your continued service and sacrifice. The insight and camaraderie you offered has already began to echo as we improve our community. Peggy Cain, Ph.D.; thank you for occasioning learning, modeling teaching, and offering mentorship. I understand my life's work supporting Veterans because of your influence. Jamie Joanou, Ph.D.; thank you for challenging my assumptions and process. As a dreamer I need someone willing to commit to the difficult task of tethering me to reality. Cory Shipp, LCSW; thank you for your tireless effort engaging Veteran students. Our discussions provided insight that continue to enable the integration of our Veterans. Caren Liebelt, RN, Mom; thank you for teaching me to love learning. Your lifelong love and support provide me the courage to try and the drive to succeed. Table of Contents 1. Topic & Purpose 1-8 2. The Literature Review 9-21 3. Methods 22-34 4. Initiatives 35-51 a. Veteran History Project Story Collection Guide 36-45 b. Veteran Welcome Letter 46 c. Veteran Support Faculty/Staff In-service Training 47-51 5. Discussion & Recommendations 52-59 6. References 60-62 7. Appendices a. Appendix A: IRB Approval 63 b. Appendix B: Interview Protocol 64-66 c. Appendix C: Consent Form 67 Figures Figure 1: Relationships filtered through a prism to uncover nested wavelengths. 10 Figure 2: Meaningful learning relationships as viewed through the light spectrum. 11 Figure 3: Nested Wavelengths are presented across the visual spectrum. 12 Running Head: FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 1 Chapter 1: Topic & Purpose Topic A Veteran's1 story is best told through the hats that have adorned their head. The military ensures boots, trousers, and blouses match, creating a homogenous mass, where each bee becomes undistinguishable from the hive. Specialized units seek uniform exceptions to symbolize their unique traits. Wearing a distinguishing piece of headgear denotes both accomplishment and group identity. The maroon beret of the Paratrooper, the green beret of the Special Forces operator, and the brown beret of the Army Ranger communicate excellence to the larger force. These artifacts represent creeds, ethos, values, skills and personalities unique to the groups that wear them. My collection of headgear, now tattered and worn, is displayed in my office to remind me of my journey. These hats help frame my own Veteran narrative as I embark on a journey to share the story of America's newest Veterans. I enlisted in the United States Army March 6, 2001. Enlistees first attend basic training designed to deconstruct individuals and reconstruct warriors. Shortly after my arrival I was issued a patrol cap to cover my freshly shaved head. This camouflage hat was made of the same material as my blouse and trousers. Looking across our formation I saw a camouflage hive. This homogenous mass of green and brown illustrated my first military lesson. Each recruit learned we were not and should not be unique. For me, basic training was almost successful. The Army created a warrior, with an individual lurking just below the surface. 1 Veteran's advocates, most notably the US Department of Veterans Affairs, treat the term Veteran as a proper noun. Always capitalizing this term Veteran honors the sacrifices due this population. This thesis will maintain this courtesy when referencing the Veteran population. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 2 The desire to distinguish myself landed me at Airborne School. In three short weeks I would learn to jump fully combat equipped in the dark of night from a perfectly good airplane at a mere 1200 feet from the ground. I was excited! This fraternity of Airborne paratroopers was born of necessity to jump from the sky into WWII. I graduated and earned the right to wear the maroon beret which screamed in my silence, "I am a Paratrooper". I wore that same maroon beret when I should have been lifting my wife's veil. In 2003 my wife made her first major sacrifice for my service. Wearing the maroon beret yielded an assignment to a unit which could be anywhere in the world in 18 hours. Like a bad 80s movie, we wore pagers which could alert us at a moment's notice. In that moment, March of 2003, I went to combat what was then Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Chapel rented, dress chosen, cake frosted, photographer ready, and a bride without her groom. This was one of many special events I would miss during my 10 years of military service. My story is not unique, however. Veterans sacrifice individual identity, mental health, physical wellbeing, and personal relationships as part of their duty. Mine is the story of a Veteran. Each Veteran carries with them a unique story. When these stories are shared, two valuable changes occur. First, the Veteran changes. The act of sharing personal aspects of life changing events alters the way the Veteran sees those events and the community she trusted enough to share them with. Second, the community changes. Understanding the story of individual Veterans improves the richness of the community tapestry. This project began as a quest to understand the relationships Veterans have with learning. As I shared my story and captured the stories of other Veterans I became FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 3 compelled to improve the Westminster College community by occasioning greater integration of Veterans through the sharing of their stories. GI Bill Impact In 1944, just after the maroon beret was adopted by the Airborne Forces, the Montgomery GI Bill was created. Americans determined the taxpayer owes every Veteran the opportunity to earn a college degree as payment for their sacrifice. In this sense, Veterans deserve to earn a new cap, complete with tassel and gown. The Montgomery GI Bill helped spawn the vast middle-class of the Greatest Generation. However, increasing the value of Montgomery GI Bill benefits required Congressional action. Between 1944 and 2009 the real value of the benefit lagged behind education and cost of living costs. As the Montgomery GI Bill could no longer alone finance a college degree for Veteran students the Post 9/11 GI Bill was introduced. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2012) show eligible Veterans can choose between the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill. For example, a Veteran attending the University of Utah as a full time student has two benefit options. Under the Montgomery GI Bill, the Veterans Administration (VA) will directly pay the Veteran $1,564.00 per month (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2012). Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the VA will pay the school the total cost of tuition and fees, and pay the Veteran a Monthly Housing Allowance of $1,116.00 and a prorated $1,000.00 per year book allowance (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2012). These added benefits are linked to cost of living and actual school costs which financially enables future Veteran education. The Post 9/11 GI Bill replaced the Montgomery GI Bill in 2009 in order to offer this generation FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 4 and future generations of Veterans a commitment to higher education. The first group of Veterans who began utilizing the Post 9/11 GI Bill in the fall of 2009 will have the opportunity to graduate in the spring of 2013. The contemporary Veteran population represents pre-military stories as unique as the general population they served. However, they each experienced a Post 9/11 military era and receive similar financial benefits. These Veterans are uniquely equipped to share how their military service impacted their post-service education narrative. Population I asked Veteran students at Westminster College to discuss how military service impacts their ongoing relationships with teachers and learning content. This sample represents a narrow window into the emerging Veteran student population. Most Veteran research seeks to understand the root causes of Veteran illness (Brenner et al., 2009), yet the root cause of Veteran illness is sadly simple. War is a transformational experience (Summerlot, Green, & Parker, 2009). Every individual who enters a combat environment is forever changed. Veterans bring combat experiences, positive and negative, with them throughout their lives. This study presents advocates with understanding from the perspective of functioning Veterans. I captured the interactions that contributed to and detracted from Veteran student learning experiences as an innovative approach to improving Veteran research. Looking specifically at Veteran experiences before, during, and after military service on the college campus where advocacy initiatives were created maximized the impact of the interviews. These Veteran learning narratives helped me develop initiatives to increase the integration required to improve the learning relationships of Veteran students. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 5 An influx of financial resources and community goodwill has led to an increase in Veteran student support activities in Salt Lake City, UT. For instance, The University of Utah opened a Veterans Support Center that advocates for Veterans at the college administrative level and partners with local organizations to recognize and include Veterans in community activities in May 2011. Westminster College built support structures into existing programs in an attempt to integrate Veteran support. Westminster College created the Westminster Military Association to invite Veteran, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), family members of Veterans, and the campus at large to support the military in the community. They also created an ad hoc Veteran Support Team to steer Veteran advocacy efforts amongst the Westminster Military Association, faculty and staff. The compilation of Westminster College Veteran student narratives and completion of a needs analysis with the Veteran Support Team allowed for the evolution of relevant and impactful campus initiatives. This project captures a snapshot as the campus evolves as a home for Veteran students. Veteran advocates continue to benefit as they gain a deeper understanding of the lived learning experiences of the very Veterans that occupy their classrooms. My advocacy with the Westminster community combined semi-structured interviews with Veterans, meetings with Veteran advocacy groups, and individual discussions with faculty to increase the integration and health of Veteran students. In depth engagement with the Veteran's learning relationships before, during and after military service uncovered particular factors that impacted their learning relationships. Including faculty, staff, and other advocates in the discussion helped me determine what types of help individual stakeholders needed to improve their support of Veteran FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 6 students. The methodology I created in this project provides advocates tools to harvest future initiatives to support Veteran students. Research Questions My research questions were designed to both qualitatively analyze the learning relationships of Veteran learners while forcing deliberate action to improve those relationships. The focus of these questions has enabled the creation of initiatives to bring forth positive change.  Question 1: How has military service impacted the Veteran's relationships with the collegiate teaching community and learning content?  Question 2: How can Veteran advocacy positively impact the Veteran's relationships with the teaching community and learning content? Study I examined the lived experiences of Veteran students through the use of a hybrid semi-structured interview process. My initial discussions with the WMA uncovered the opportunity to capture Veteran stories for posterity while collecting data to improve the Westminster community. The interviews served the dual roles of informing Veteran support initiatives and submission to the Veteran History Project (VHP). The Library of Congress (2008) states, "The mission of the Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center is to collect, preserve, and make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war" (p. 2). This serendipitous opportunity served as a theme for the flexibility necessary to action my research questions. The method I used to collect data supported a long-term planning goal of the Westminster Military Association. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 7 The interview protocol (see appendix A) combined elements of the ethnographic and phenomenological methodologies in a format acceptable for submission to the VHP. Marshall and Rossman (2006) suggest the use of the phenomenological interview in order to bring meaning to a shared phenomenon. In this case I shared the phenomena of military experience with other Veteran students. Merriam (2008) determined, "learning can be construed as meaning making; therefore narrative is a form of learning" (p. 96). The study's focus on capturing the Veteran student's narrative also borrows from ethnographic interviewing (Marshall & Rossman, 2006). I tried to understand the impact of military service on the Veteran student's learning relationships while improving those relationships. The Westminster Military Association was established in 2012. The Veteran population at Westminster College is expected to rise as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan draw down. As the college attracts a growing Veteran population, the Westminster Military Association attempts to help the local community understand the Veteran culture through the use of social networking and event planning. The purpose of the Westminster Military Association (2012) is to "provide a forum for the Westminster community including students, faculty, staff and alumni to discuss and take action on important topics relating to Veteran affairs, service in the Unites States military, Westminster College, and the surrounding community" (p. 1). This project has significantly enlightened the Veteran advocacy practices at Westminster College by helping stakeholders launch several Veteran integration initiatives. Westminster policy decisions have been impacted through this greater understanding of existing Veteran students. Creating a platform for the voice of Veteran students was one of the primary FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 8 purposes for creating the Westminster Military Association. Capturing the impact of military service and emerging advocacy efforts on these Veteran's learning relationships supported the Westminster Military Association's goal of directing practices that maximize the efficacy of college and community Veteran Support activities. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 9 Chapter 2: The Literature Review The Nested Spectrum Learning Framework This chapter presents a useful framework to understand the Veteran student's learning narratives, meetings with Veteran advocacy groups, and individual discussions with faculty and staff. The Nested Spectrum Learning Framework was developed within the humanistic tradition. Elias and Merriam (2005) see humanism as, "a broad philosophical point of view that holds sacred the dignity and autonomy of human beings" (p. 111). My primary concern during this project was the preservation of Veteran student humanity by understanding their learning relationships. Supporting meaningful learning for Veteran students requires effective learning relationships. Rossiter (2007) posits the occurrence of meaningful learning requires a connection between content, learners, and teachers. It helps to envision content, learners, and teachers as the three points on a triangle. Connections or learning relationships between these points create an effective learning triad. This framework separated the elements within learning relationships in order to examine more closely how initiatives could improve Veteran student learning relationships. I now relate very differently to learning content and teachers than I did prior to my military service or the beginning of this project. Deconstructing mine and other Veteran students' learning relationships was made possible through the application of the Nested Spectrum Learning Framework. The Nested Spectrum The nested spectrum deconstructs the unseen elements within relationships central to meaningful learning. As white light shone through a prism uncovers the light spectrum, Veteran student narratives and advocacy efforts analyzed through the lens of FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 10 the nested spectrum unearthed ways to improve learning relationships. Defining learning relationships as light cascading through a prism is my original contribution, a fresh lens, to focus the effort of adult education leaders and Veteran advocates. I separated simultaneities which Davis (2008) refers to as the occurrence of phenomena that occur at the same time. Learning influences cannot exist independently, just as we cannot exist independently from our environments. "The mind, body, spirit, emotions, and society are not themselves simply sites of learning; learning occurs in their intersections with each other" (Merriam, 2008, p. 97). Learning relationships, however, can be separated for understanding when the learning narrative is shown through a prism. Each nested wavelength behaves as a continuous wave, occupying a defined colored wavelength. Figure 1 Relationships filtered through a prism to uncover nested wavelengths. Relationship separation adapts the concept of transphenomenality which Davis (2008) presents as nested layers that impact learning. Transphenomenality separates the simultaneities, bodily subsystem, individual, social, cultural, societal, and ecological FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 11 influences to demonstrate their impact on learning environments (Davis, 2008). Yet, transphenomenality is not complete as a framework to study the learning relationships of Veterans. The theory considers impacts on environments but not learning relationships. The remainder of this chapter is dedicated to focusing the reader's lens on each of the nested wavelengths. It is important to maintain a "holistic view addressing collective strengths, we encourage institutions of higher education to acknowledge the positive aspect of veteran students' human experiences and strengths while highlighting veteran students' internal resolve to achieve their potential" (Hassan, Jackson, Lindsay, McCabe, & Sanders, 2010, p. 31). Understanding the structure of separate wavelengths as I engaged the Veteran learner's narrative enabled rich understanding used to purposely form initiatives designed to increase relationship connection. Figure 2 Meaningful learning relationships as viewed through the light spectrum. The nested wavelength framework separates white light to examine differing colored wavelengths as they impact learning relationships. Light is separated with a prism to FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 12 understand learning relationships, but the white light remains. Each of the wavelengths are discussed separately in conjunction with their impact on Veteran student learning relationships. Meaningful learning experiences are influenced by the interplay of spirituality, bodily subsystems, individual, social, cultural, societal and ecological impacts. Nested wavelengths act as lenses where situations can be examined to bring forth a clearer vision of the Veteran student's learning narrative. Figure 3 Nested Wavelengths are presented across the visual spectrum. Spiritual Wavelength The spiritual wavelength exists at the individual's core. This inner core impacts the Veteran student's learning relationships. Tisdell (2008) sees this impact, "even though spirituality is generally seen as an individual's experiences of what is perceived as sacred, how one frames or understands those experiences can strongly influence one's beliefs and behaviors" (p. 29). Spirituality and consequently learning relationships are changed by military service. Tisdell (2008) demonstrates how intense moments such as combat impact spirituality, thus the consideration of the immense impact the Veteran student's spiritual beliefs have on their learning relationships is essential. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 13 Spirituality is purposefully included as a separate wavelength from culture. While both concepts are interrelated, the wavelengths occur separately. Tisdell (2008) demonstrates this connection when she writes, "most of us were socialized in a religious tradition, and the earliest stage of our spiritual development took place within the context of that particular religion" (p. 28). Religious beliefs and spirituality may change due to military service. In 2003, near Haditha Dam, Iraq I first experienced the loss of life due to combat operations. My spiritual connection to life, death, and war changed forever as the Chaplain attempted to help each of us grieve between battles. This project demonstrated respect for the unique spirituality of service members by understanding the phenomena separately. The separation between the wavelengths within this frame is often blurred, as the light in the color spectrum does not jump from red to orange, it fades. Merriam (2008) describes how in 2004 Moken sea gypsies "felt" an impending tsunami. An unspecific feeling could be seen as either the spiritual or the bodily subsystem wavelength. "But it is not that the body is merely a vehicle for learning; it is what the body feels, the affective dimension of learning, that combines with the intellect in significant learning" (Merriam, 2008, p. 96). It has been more important to help advocates place learning relationship changes into context. I used the framework in times of critical reflection to understand differing phenomena. I did not approach Veterans or advocates with a framework to understand the Veteran condition. Rather, I allowed the Veteran's story to illuminate what changes or initiatives would improve integration on campus. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 14 Bodily subsystem Wavelength Bodily subsystems present a significant wavelength where learning relationships are changed. Davis, Sumara, and Luce-Kapler (2008) show, "the well-being of one's immune system is inextricably tied to attention span, conscious awareness, and ability to remember-not to mention capacities to interact with others and maintain social relations" (p. 111). More dramatically, the brain primarily mitigates relationships between the learner to teachers and content. Taylor and Lamoreaux (2008) show the brain changes as the individual learns and the brain impacts new learning. Neural pathways are permanently altered every time learning occurs. The brain is a physical element within the learning process. Taylor and Lamoreaux (2008) present this physicality, "for the brain to notice something, it must respond to signals traveling along nerve cells" (p. 53). Taylor and Lamoreaux (2008) further explain how learning changes the makeup and composition of the brain. Changes to the brain may occur through simple learning or through trauma. Military experiences forever alter how the brain physically processes information. Combat injury impacts the Veteran student's relationships to the learning environment. A recent Veteran Administration study links Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to reduced mental performance (Brenner et al., 2009). Brain injury creates a greater advocacy need to enable formal education participation. Brenner et al. (2009) captures this need for support, "those with more severe injury cope with long-term neuropsychological impairment in the areas of attention, memory and learning, executive function, language and communication, visual-spatial skills, and processing speed" (pp. 347-348). The brain represents one in many FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 15 bodily subsystems that impact learning relationships. The faculty in-service training initiative is designed to decrease the impacts of different bodily subsystems on the Veteran student's learning experience. Demystifying the impact of PTSD on a student's life will help faculty members relate to Veteran students, reducing the stigma associated with the invisible wounds of war. Individual Wavelength The individual wavelength is the learner's awareness of the impact of military service or Veteran advocacy to their learning relationships. Karpiak (2010) utilizes an autobiographical assignment to create educational value through research, student development, and teacher awareness. While the assignment did not target Veterans specifically, it allowed them to chronicle their combat experiences and the difficulty they experienced in reuniting with family post-deployment. The autobiographical writing assignment supports a student's understanding of preexisting life events (Karpiak, 2010). This type of assignment is used to support the learning needs of any target population experiencing intense shared events. Karpiak (2010) demonstrates how students, "had written themselves into knowing" (p. 21). Learning narratives will show whether the Veteran student became more critically reflective. The Association for the Study of Higher Education (2011) demonstrate the need for integrative assignments, "Social and academic integration in the new environment leads to persistence not only in attaining academic goals but also in achieving intellectual and social competence that contributes to a sense of purpose and self-awareness" (p. 26). The individual wavelength represents the Veteran student's relationship with themselves. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 16 The existence of prior knowledge is central to the nested spectrum learning framework. Taylor and Lamoreaux (2008) share how, "listening to lectures and reading texts are valuable learning experiences, but the learners likely to derive the most benefit are those who can also draw on related prior experience" (p. 54). These experiences are valuable to the Veteran and the class in its entirety. Hassan et al. (2010) posit the value of Veteran experiences in the classroom: Imagine a history professor teaching about the city of Babylon, Iraq, with a student in the class who has actually been there, a political scientist talking about how governments develop with a student that participated in writing the Constitution for the country of Iraq, or finally a psychology professor teaching about PTSD with a student with firsthand experience of how this disorder manifests itself. (p. 32) Pre-military and military knowledge likely impact the Veteran student's college learning relationships. "Reflection is therefore a key to reframing-that is, to reinterpreting past experiences in light of newer ones-because it can alter neural connections and therefore the meaning we make on the basis of those connections" (Taylor, & Lamoreaux, 2008, p. 54). The individual wavelength helped me develop initiatives to occasion critical reflection amongst Veteran students. Social Wavelength The social wavelength looks at the specific groups an individual finds themselves part of. Stanage (1979) demonstrates how individuals exist "within an actional and active structuring of relationships from our birth onward" (p. 132). Examination of the lifelong groups of the Veteran student illuminates their impact on learning relationships. These FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 17 social networks develop positive or negative group relationships toward teachers or content. The Association for the Study of Higher Education (2011) states, "For the student veteran to persist and move into the role of a fulfilled civilian self, he or she must experience this belonging and connectedness in the college environment" (p. 26). An inherent connection between Veteran advocacy and the social wavelength occurs as advocates create social space. Student Veteran organizations are a social group designed to assist Veterans in their acclimation to student life. Summerlot, Green, and Parker (2009) describe how Veterans, "look to replace the cohesion of their [military] unit by seeking out others who have had similar experiences" (p. 72). This project designed initiatives to support Veteran students by improving the social relationships occasioned on campus. Research suggests the current methods of studying social integration fail to improve the social wavelength of Veteran learning relationships. Hassan et al. (2010) determined the focus of, "analysis has been imbalanced regarding the veteran students' shortcomings or deficits, with very little discussion related to their assets, strengths, and virtues" (p. 30). The methods used to study Veteran integration isolate them from the collegiate society. O'Herrin (2011) shares the prevalence of this phenomena, "Many institutions-ready and willing to help these students successfully transition back into civilian life-are enthusiastic and welcoming, but aren't always sure how to meet veterans' needs, which are distinct from those of other students" (p. 15). Veteran advocates must balance mitigating challenges while illuminating the positive contributions of Veteran students on campus. I invited Veterans into the social structure as a key element to improving their learning relationships. Hassan et al. (2010) suggest a better method to FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 18 advocate for Veterans, "as former service members re-integrate with mainstream society and academia, we encourage educators and higher education administrators to broaden the paradigm of the veteran student from deficits to strengths, from shortcomings to possibilities, and from isolation to community" (p. 32). The initiatives we continue to develop are building college and social environments that reflect the impact of a fully integrated Veteran community through social contribution. Cultural Wavelength The cultural wavelength explains embedded group values. Rossiter (2007) determined narratives mediate these cultural relationships. Veteran learners cannot be separated from the learned military culture. For instance, my political values and sense of social justice evolved as a result of my combat and post military experiences. These transformational changes are fundamental to how I interact with the world (Merriam, 2007). The Veteran learner inherently carries the military narrative with them forever. Accepting this cultural change enables understanding of the Veteran student's learning relationships. Merriam et al. (2007) present Labouvie-Vief's theory, "if one wishes to discover changes and patterns in cognitive development, it might be more fruitful to examine groups of people who share pertinent life events and experiences versus people of a certain chronological group" (pp. 347-348). While each interviewed Veteran's experience was different, their cultural indoctrination was quite similar. Veteran student's share the military experience. Service members learn to believe the greater good requires the individual to blindly follow authority. Flannery (1994) shares the negative side of culture, "often we are led to think and act against our own interests and commitments without realizing that we are doing it" (p. 18). Understanding how culture FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 19 is influenced by military service helped me create initiatives to strengthen Veteran learning relationships. A major challenge Veterans directly face is the feeling of isolation when attempting to re-integrate in the civilian culture. "Many veterans have spoken to the sense of alienation they feel upon beginning class and often allude to feeling confused and overwhelmed during their first terms because they aren't sure where to turn for assistance" (O'Herrin, 2011, pp. 16-17). This feeling of isolation contributes to historically high rate of suicide amongst Veterans. Engaging the cultural wavelength highlights the seclusion felt by transitioning Veterans as we continue to develop support systems on campus. Societal Wavelength The societal wavelength is the lens of the national experience. Learning in the United States exists within a unique societal frame because of inherent American privilege, yet Americans currently experience increasing levels of financial inequality and divisiveness. These issues are influenced by what Flannery (1994) explains as the detriment of this learning environment, "White male developmental models have been emphasized, and theories of learning that stress individualism, linear thinking, and Anglo European values of self-sufficiency have been generalized" (p. 17). Learning relationships are impacted by these inherent inequalities. Rocco and West (1998) add the discrepancy that the white, middle class, and educated are those most likely to receive opportunities to obtain higher education. Veteran status removes a financial barrier, but it may not remove other structural barriers to college entry. Rocco and West (1998) determined, "if we do not reflect upon the assumptions that create privilege, the current FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 20 power structures will be reproduced, but with different targets as demographics change" (p. 173). Looking at the societal impact of the Veteran student narratives showed me how their structural privilege both increased and decreased as a result of service. Veteran status is only a single element of the total structural privilege impacting the individual. Tisdell's 1993 case study in two graduate classrooms demonstrates how interlocking systems of privilege and oppression, including race, class, gender, age, physical ability/disability, and knowledge, reproduce existing power relationships. The study did not include consideration of Veterans or Veteran status as an element of privilege. This study moved beyond Tisdell's study to include Veterans status as an element of privilege. Illuminating changes to Veteran student learning relationships considered positive and marginalization associated with military service. Tisdell (1993) notes, "the power of both the hidden and overt curriculum to contribute to the maintenance and reproduction of existing power relationships is operative at every level of formal education from nursery school to graduate school" (p. 203). Carefully considering Veteran privilege as I continually evaluated the situation on campus helped me view Veterans as inherent to and not separate from the community. Throughout this project I was impressed by the diversity of the Veterans on campus. Westminster College had already attracted female, male, transgendered, homosexual, black, white and Hispanic Veteran students from vastly different socioeconomic backgrounds. This evaluation helped me ensure Veteran integration initiatives considered differing levels of structural privilege during construction. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 21 Ecological Wavelength The ecological wavelength is the lens of the international, the complete world. This is location where humans become part of the ecosystem. Hassan et al. (2010) posits, "Veteran students have valuable experiences to share as a result of their travels to foreign countries, immersion in various cultures, working relationships with international governments, and interactions with a diverse workforce spanning numerous socioeconomic strata" (p. 32). Learning the stories of Veteran students illuminated how those positive and negative interactions impacted their relationship with learning. As I shared Veterans' stories, the learning community grew by gleaning the sameness and difference they have with others who have studied abroad. Merriam (2008) writes how, "interaction with people from all over the world has promoted an awareness of different perspectives on learning, teaching, and what counts as knowledge" (p. 96). My choice to study at Westminster College was partially an effort to better understand my own experiences. This project helped me consider how my worldviews changed because of my international service. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 22 Chapter 3: Methods This project developed two complimentary research questions with the compatible goals of learning about Veterans while improving their learning relationships. Restating these questions reinforces the methodology used in the endeavor. The research component of the project consisted of an analysis of semi-structured interviews with Veterans, meetings with Veteran advocacy groups, and individual discussions with faculty through the nested spectrum. The action portion of the project converted this analysis into emerging initiatives to improve Veteran integration on campus.  Question 1: How has military service impacted the Veteran's relationships with the collegiate teaching community and learning content?  Question 2: How can Veteran advocacy positively impact the Veteran's relationships with the teaching community and learning content? Semi-Structured Interviews The Library of Congress Veteran History Project (VHP) provides a repository for the video recorded narratives of our nations Veterans. I adapted the semi-structured interview process to support the requirements of the VHP. I interviewed five Veteran students at Westminster College. The qualitative nature of the interviews required maintaining a small number of participants. I relied on a convenience sampling of Veteran students. Fortunately, I engaged a variety of students who all were receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. I was pleased that the availability of participants provided a diverse demographic makeup. All of the interviews were conducted in space reserved for portfolio development on campus. Utilizing a standard space for filming interviews contributed to the FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 23 repeatability of the process, given that the Westminster Military Association wanted to continue capturing Veteran narratives. Transportability of the process to other interviewers is a major focus of the overall project. I tried to maintain flexibility within the VHP framework in order to engage students in a repeatable way. This structure reduced ambiguity in the VHP Interview guide. Recruiting Participants. Opportunities to locate and recruit participants occurred as I engaged in Veteran advocacy on campus. Participants were recruited in the needs assessment meetings I attended and through referrals by my peers. Summerlot et al. (2009) determined Veterans find each other on campus in order to fill the community void left when leaving military service. As Veterans, we are drawn to each other in classes. Furthermore, my status as a Veteran and current engagement with the Veteran population made the development of rapport rather easy. Veterans were also eager to support other Veterans on campus. Spradley (1979) defines rapport as the trust necessary to freely tell one's story. As a Veteran, I trust in the intent of other Veterans. The Veterans I met on campus immediately trusted me. My status as an accepted insider eased gaining local Veteran support. Interview Format. After the Westminster Military Association requested support in capturing stories for the VHP, I adopted my original interview guide to the format favored by the program. My chosen research methodology maintains Marshall and Rossman's (2006) belief that the interviewer's approach should convey the interviewee's inherent value. The interview protocol is included in Appendix A. Semi-structured interviews captured FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 24 narratives that demonstrate learning relationships through time. Interviews borrowed elements from the ethnographic and phenomenological disciplines as discussed by Fontana and Frey (2003) with two notable exceptions. First, these one-time interviews lacked the depth of engagement found in the ethnographic tradition. Second, deconstructing the learning relationships within Veteran student narratives exceeds the descriptive nature of phenomenological research. Both the interview content and interviewee order were important in capturing honest narratives. For example, pre-service stories helped establish each individual's baseline privilege, while capturing in service learning experiences allowed me to differentiate the common phenomena, or military experiences of participants. Then post-military learning experiences were used to support the development of targeted advocacy initiatives. A comparison of the demographic information and the three chronological eras provide ample information to determine how to develop initiatives to improve learning relationships Validity. Research validity necessitated the creation of a mechanism to demonstrate my relative objectivity as I analyzed these semi-structured interviews. This research and analysis inherently contain elements of my narrative. Fontana and Frey (2003) determined researcher interactions influence study results. Prior to completing interviews with my sample population, I underwent an autobiographical interview utilizing the same interview guide. Participating in the autobiographical interview allowed me to set my story aside and seek out individual narratives rather than lead the interviewees toward my expectations (Marshall & Rossman, 2006). Engaging my interview guide demonstrates FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 25 how I own this personal connection. Marshall and Rossman (2006) describe the epoche as a researcher's autobiographical review experiencing the phenomena in an effort to separate their experience from the interviewees. The examination of my interview separated my experience from other Veterans as the epoche separates experiences during a phenomenological study. Ethical Concerns. Ethical treatment of the participants remains my paramount concern. I entered each interview without preconceived positive or negative expectations concerning the subject's narrative. Fontana and Frey (2003) assert, "to learn about people we must treat them as people, and they will work with us to help us create accounts of their lives" (p. 99). The account of the Veteran student's life has been essential to ethically finding ways to improve learning relationships. It would have been unethical to steer interviews to amplify my personal issues. Veterans are complex individuals, and their individual experiences extended well beyond military service. These differences required my sensitivity during the interview process. I began protecting participants by proactively discussing the dual purpose of the interviews during the informed consent process. Participants were informed of the deconstruction of their stories to help the community work to improve learning relationships. As I share segments of the interviews, I respect the individual Veterans by highlighting their humanity, human capital, and social contributions. The research as it is described was proposed to the Westminster College Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure all ethical considerations have been mitigated. The IRB approved the study methodology on November 7, 2012. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 26 Veteran Advocacy Meetings and Interviews I attended a staff development steering committee meeting, Westminster Military Association Meetings, a Veteran Education Symposium, and conducted informal interviews with faculty, staff, and students to assess the needs and desires on campus. I listened to these stakeholders in order develop the advocacy efforts they want and need. O'Herrin (2011) supports this methodology, "student veterans and campus administrators have spoken to the success of efforts that have been crafted with direct input from the enrolled student veteran population and have emphasized this is the best approach to designing supportive programs" (p. 16). I structured my meeting and interview notes with the understanding that the creation of both a place and a space for Veteran students is imperative to increase inclusion while forming positive learning relationships with Veteran students (Agnew, 2011). With that understanding, I decided to let stakeholders tell me what initiatives were needed and let the study drive the development of those initiatives. O'Herrin (2011) recommends initiatives to improve campus climate such as, "establishing a student veterans group, educating faculty and staff about veteran-specific issues, and if possible, creating a veteran-specific resource center or designated space" (p. 16). The nested spectrum provided a powerful tool to deconstruct my interactions with Veteran advocates, faculty, and staff. Analysis The data collection process occurred without consideration of the Nested Wavelength Learning Framework. After collecting semi-structured interviews, I used the VHP video recording log to separate interview content. I looked for themes across the interviews concerning the Veteran's attitudes and experiences toward the Westminster FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 27 environment. I also considered the interviews I conducted with faculty and staff on campus and advocacy events I attended. Collecting notes, meeting reports, and interview logs provided ample information to develop initiatives to improve Veteran integration on campus. I utilized the Nested Wavelength Learning Framework to build emerging initiatives to strengthen the community across wavelengths. The analysis process reunited the Nested Wavelength Learning Framework with the Veteran narratives and stakeholder input. The individual wavelengths provided a mechanism to critically reflect upon the evolving collegiate ecosystem. The following sections share my detailed consideration of my experiences within each nested wavelength. Spiritual Wavelength Analysis. None of the data gathering techniques specifically asked questions of a spiritual nature. During my initial analysis I questioned whether my methodology or the nested spectrum would or could capture the spiritual nature of Veteran students. However, deeper consideration of the VHP interviews uncovered the feelings of Veterans during the transition from service member to Veteran student. The lack of emphasis did not prevent the issue of spirituality from emerging in the interview process. The journey between military and college took from weeks to years for different Veterans. Each Veteran talked about the process of finding themselves before or during their academic journey at Westminster College. While the journeys differed, each Veteran considered self-realization through education. One participant travelled the country, a vagabond, attempting to find inner peace. Another participant wrestled for years with gender based issues. Several Veterans, including myself, used the academic FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 28 journey to find inner peace. The initiatives I developed did not consider spirituality as it impacted Veteran students. However, the Westminster Military Association recently sponsored "Military Yoga" on campus. This is the first evidence to suggest the integration of Veteran spirituality on campus. This step could help ease the Veteran transition to college and lead to future integration into campus activities. Bodily subsystem Wavelength Analysis. Military service significantly impacted the bodily subsystems of Veteran student participants. Consequently, Veteran advocates placed significant emphasis on PTSD throughout my research. Ryan Poland, an interview participant, wrote his 2012 thesis at Westminster College concerning the impact of PTSD to him and society. Most Veterans experienced physically manifesting trauma symptoms long after military service. The discussions facilitated by the VHP created an opportunity to discuss this issue in relative safety. The physical manifestations of PTSD for four of the five participants, including myself, occurred well after time spent in a combat zone. Three participants suffered from chemical dependency and angry outbursts that led to compensation from the VA. After my research, I believe every Veteran who serves in combat is traumatized. The only differences are the severity and symptoms manifested by those who served. Veteran mental health is a concern on campus. Cory Shipp, my project supervisor, is the Licensed Clinical Social Worker responsible for Veteran mental health counseling. If Veterans have mental health needs beyond his outpatient capabilities, he connects them with VA mental health. Recently, at the "Veteran Student Success" symposium hosted by Weber State University, PTSD was discussed at length. One participant mentioned how many subdue combat trauma by filling their lives with so FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 29 many activities they have no time to process this trauma. Only after retirement are many of those Veterans suffering major mental breaks associated with PTSD. That discussion and ongoing mental health research concerning the symptoms of PTSD caused me to question my own mental health. Through critical reflection, I recognized disparate signs that suggested I might be suffering from PTSD. I have developed a series of coping mechanisms to dampen quirks I developed after serving as a Medical Evacuation Pilot in Iraq. I feel the best time to see a mechanic is when you hear a noise, not after the engine fails. During the writing of this analysis I visited the Veteran Mental Health Clinic where I was diagnosed with PTSD. I committed to my mental health by confronting trauma that was uncovered by my academic journey. Processing my Veteran story through a bodily subsystem lens enabled my first steps toward healing. Individual Wavelength Analysis. The semi-structured interviews with Veteran students uncovered a startling type of isolation. When I asked Veteran students who they lean on for support, all of them immediately pointed to themselves. The re-integration isolation felt by Veterans is perpetuated by their sense of self-reliance. These Veterans are from diverse, age, sex, socioeconomic backgrounds, and types of service. However, every Veteran looked to themselves for support first. While the community began to earnestly reach out to Veteran students, the students only look inward for help. For instance, each support office on campus assigned a single point of contact for Veteran needs. Meanwhile, Veteran students were unaware of these efforts. When asked to compare this with their military support networks, the element of earned trust while in uniform was introduced. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 30 Veteran students learned to trust others in uniform during thousands of interactions while in hostile environments. The bond between those in uniform perpetuated the myth that civilians on campus were unwilling or unable to support their needs. Earning the trust of Veteran students became an important element in the development of initiatives to integrate Veteran students. The advocates on campus had developed mechanisms to reach out at the individual level. In admissions, financial aid, counseling, and academic advising an individual is assigned as the Veteran contact to attempt to establish a personal approach with a single contact for help. These contacts have recently been listed on the Westminster website. However, finding the information was cumbersome to Veteran students. In essence, Veteran students had to know the information in order to find it. The Veteran welcome letter initiative was the first step designed to develop trust between the Veteran student and support offices. An all-encompassing support strategy from recruitment to graduation is essential to forging the individual relationships required to reduce the isolation felt by Veteran students. Social Wavelength Analysis. The Westminster Military Association was most easily deconstructed through the social wavelength lens. The efforts of members were clearly attempting to engage Veterans with other students on campus. Interview participants were drawn to other Veterans to discuss issues impacting the group as a whole. The creation of the Westminster Military Association was an extension of those naturally occurring relationships. A panel discussion of Weber State University Veteran students at the symposium demonstrated a similar desire for space to meet with other Veterans. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 31 However, Westminster Military Association meetings suffered from poor attendance because their mission did not align with their chosen service projects. Transition of the VHP to the Westminster Military Association presented an opportunity to increase the social identity of the group by changing how they viewed the service component of the group. Furthermore, the Veteran welcome letter was designed to offer a sense of place to Veterans within an existing social group on campus. Cultural Wavelength Analysis. I analyzed the overall campus environment through a cultural wavelength lens. The campus demonstrated a culture of Veteran support rather than Veteran integration. I recognized a significant number of great ideas were floating around campus without the benefit of an execution element. Ad hoc meetings yielded ideas without follow through. The culture on campus demonstrated a lack of commitment to a unified solution. This lack of Veteran conscience was demonstrated in several ways. For instance, when a female Veteran student suffering from severe service-connected medical issues had trouble making it to class, her instructor asked how she could help. The instructor determined a lack of support at the VA hospital was preventing her from getting well. The faculty member reached out to a faculty peer who reached out to me to advocate on the female Veteran's behalf. I, as a student on campus, reached out to the VA Woman Veterans Coordinator who arranged for medical support at the VA hospital. I should not have been the essential element in advocating for a Veteran student. It is unacceptable that Westminster College lacked a cultural identity that enabled rapid advocacy for this student. More recently, two campus activities occurred without a sense a consideration to the impact on Veteran students. The Vagina monologues could have been improved if FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 32 someone had encouraged a female Veteran to participate. The thoughts of a female Veteran would have helped the community understand female and Veteran issues. Finally, a recent suicide prevention campaign on campus failed to include Veterans, the group with the highest rate of suicide in the country, in the discussion. Inviting Veterans or the Westminster Military Association to participate could have helped the activity reach a Veteran in need while increasing community awareness concerning the rate of Veteran suicide. The culture on campus has not been developed with an integrated Veteran conscience. Engaging this cultural wavelength highlighted part of the seclusion felt by the transitioning Veterans that advocates were developing initiatives to integrate. A lack of place for Veterans became apparent in their consideration on campus. The isolation felt by Veteran students is partially caused by their common status as nontraditional students. One of the Veterans that participated in the VHP interviews felt professors were more like peers than other students. The limited life experiences of students created personal dissonance. Veteran participants repeatedly suggested other students did not see education the way they did. They hoped other members of the community would learn to engage them without asking if they ever killed anyone or if they had seen anyone die. This immediate need for the development of a more inclusive culture through sharing and understanding within the campus culture was a major reason for the development of the VHP and staff development course. Societal Wavelength Analysis. The societal wavelength exposed a disassociation between the actual and perceived structural privilege of Veteran students. The narratives my fellow Veteran FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 33 students shared demonstrated how their structural privilege both increased and decreased as a result of service. Invisible wounds such as PTSD decreased structural privilege. The Post 9/11 GI Bill improved the socioeconomic status and thus structural privilege of Veterans. However, the financial benefits are at the discretion of the Federal government. Benefit backlogs and the elimination of interval pay disrupted this privilege. Interval pay was a continuation of the stipend paid between semesters. When this payment was removed several Veteran students found themselves barely financially soluble. This group wanted local advocates to help them find solutions, but the perceived privilege of their Veteran status fell on bureaucratic ears. The Veteran advocates recommended they write their Congressmen while the students needed to find a way to immediately find $500-700 to survive. This perception by advocates caused me to question whether even this group understands the total structural privilege of Veteran students. I was deeply troubled by a disconnection between perceived privilege and actual privilege by other students. Recently, a fellow Master of Arts in Community Leadership student provided peer review that stated when they pictured a Veteran they pictured an individual who was white, middle-class, and male. The Veteran in their view required fewer assets than refugees or minorities with less structural privilege. They failed to recognize the overwhelming number of Asian, Black, Hispanic, African, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Guamanian, female, homosexual, and transgendered Veterans I have engaged with in the past decade. The US Department of Defense (2012) reported a racial demographic plus or minus 2 percent of the civilian sector for all races. While the perspective of a smaller female demographic is accurate, this group requires compassion FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 34 and inclusion. The US Department of Defense (2012) reported a static representation of females of less than 20 percent. While the female Veteran demographic is smaller than that of the civilian sector, their needs must be represented. Female Veterans had elevated rates of depression and sexual trauma. The student in question significantly underestimated the lack of privilege individuals had prior to providing military service. The VHP was designed to provide a more complete picture of the Veteran student. I interviewed men, women and a transgendered female. Discussions during an ad hoc faculty development meeting led to the inclusion of a Veteran empathy course during upcoming staff training. Ecological Wavelength Analysis. Analysis within the ecological wavelength uncovered Veteran students' diverse views concerning global culture. Service in Japan, South Korea and Europe yielded positive thoughts concerning global citizenry. Combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan caused dissonance concerning America's role abroad. My international experiences showed me the narrow distance between order and chaos and the chasm between punishment and torture. The fathers of Iraqi children burned them as punishment. The victims of this torture were brought to American medical personnel for treatment. Other Veterans discussed the simultaneous roles of support and defense. These international experiences have not been discussed during courses where the experiences of aid workers or semester abroad students were discussed. Westminster College educators have not implemented techniques to share the influence a Veterans world travels have had on their learning relationships. The faculty development course was developed to assist educators in learning methods to invite these experiences into the classroom. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 35 Chapter 4: Initiatives I developed three Veteran integration initiatives on campus while collecting data for analysis. Semi-structured interviews with Veterans, meetings with Veteran advocacy groups, and discussions with faculty led to the development of a VHP Interview Guide, Veteran welcome letter, and Veteran Support Faculty/Staff In-service Training. While embedded in chapter 4, these initiatives are treated as standalone documents. Veteran History Project Story Collection Guide The Westminster Military Association shared a desire to capture the narratives of student, faculty, staff, and alumni Veterans. I used lessons learned through collecting semi-structured interviews to inform a guide for future Westminster Military Association members to capture the stories of Veterans within the Westminster community. Veteran Welcome Letter The Westminster Military Association and Admissions wanted to initiate a relationship with new Veteran students. I offered to draft a letter to be mailed to Veteran students after admission. The letter announces available support services on campus. A tertiary purpose of the letter is an introduction to the Westminster Military Association. Veteran Support Faculty/Staff In-service Training The faculty and staff at Westminster College are supportive of the Veterans in the community. However, these individuals lack an understanding concerning who Veteran students are, and how to support their unique needs. This in-service training was developed to increase both empathy and knowledge base. The three separate lessons can be conducted together or independently based on the audience. The final aspects of the lessons will be dictated by campus, community, and staff development constraints. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 36 Veteran History Project Story Collection Guide The Library of Congress Veteran History Project (VHP) provides a repository for the video recorded narratives of our nation's Veterans. The WMA captures the narratives of student, faculty, staff, and alumni Veterans as part of this program. The primary goal of capturing Veteran stories for the Veteran History Project is the enhancement of the local and national community through engaging the stories of the warriors amongst us. The story collection guide is a working document designed to help the WPM capture the stories of Veterans for inclusion in a national archive for the Library of Congress. These stories can also be used to enlighten our local community by humanizing Veterans. Pre-interview Preparation 1. Veteran preparation: The VHP offers aids to help the Veteran prepare for the interview, including the Veteran Biographical Data Form (Attachment 1) and VHP Interview Protocol (Attachment 2). Provide copies of these to the Veteran as early as possible. Filling out the biographical information and reading through the protocol helps the Veteran know what to expect. 2. Equipment preparation: All of the required equipment is available through the eportfolio lab. Make sure you reserve the following equipment: Camera, tripod, light kit, interview space. a. Schedule this equipment at the eportfolio lab in person or call 801-832-2050. 3. Interviewer preparation: Read through the Veteran's Biographical Data Form and the VHP Interview Protocol before meeting with the Veteran. This will help you get in the right frame of mind for the interview. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 37 The Interview 1. Arrive early to set up the interview space. The light kit and camera setup are relatively simple. A fellow member of the WMA will help you set up during your first interview. 2. Interviewer and Veteran Release: Make sure the Interviewer's Release Form (Attachment 3) and Veteran's Release Form (Attachment 4) are signed before starting the interview. 3. Interview guide: The VHP requires you as the interviewer state the introduction announcing the interview. Prefill the Veteran's information to reduce stress during this introduction. Post-interview Actions 1. Video file Conversion: The camera records in MTS file format, while the VHP requires MPEG2 file format. Utilize Adobe converter on the computer at the eportfolio lab to convert the file. 2. Interview Log: The VHP requires an Audio and Video Recording Log (Attachment 5) that captures the major theme changes during the interview. Use the interview guide as a tool to fill out the log. 3. Submission: The video interview, Veteran Biographical Data Form, Interviewer's Release Form, and Veteran's Release Form forms must be placed on a CD and mailed. The WMA has allotted money from their budget to purchase the CD and mail the package. Mail the package via Fed Ex or UPS as the U.S, Postal service security screening process may damage the disk. Mail the package to the following address: Veterans History Project Library of Congress 101 Independence Ave., SE Washington, DC 20540-4615 FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 38 Attachment 1 Veteran Biographical Data Form FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 39 FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 40 Attachment 2 VHP Interview Protocol Begin the interview by announcing:  I am here with Veteran's name_________________, born His or her birthdate____________.  He/she served in Operation/Campaign______ as a member of the branch of service_______.  Name's highest rank achieved was highest rank achieved.  This recording is taking place on DATE____ at Westminster College, in Salt Lake City, UT.  I am interviewer's name________ a fellow member of the Westminster Military Association.  Names of anyone present____________________________ is/are assisting in the interview.  The interview is being conducted for the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. 1. Tell me about your life before your military service. a. Where and when were you born? b. Family information: i. What did your parents do for a living? ii. Tell me about your siblings. c. What were you doing before entering the service? d. Do you have any family members who served in the military? 2. Tell me about your initial military experience. a. How did you enter the service (draft, enlist, commission)? b. Why did you choose that specific branch of service? c. Tell me about your experience in basic training. d. What was the training like to learn your job? e. What surprised you about the instructors? f. What were your favorite parts of training? g. What were your least favorite parts of training? h. What was your first supervisor like at your first unit? i. Tell me about the transition to military life after initial entry training? j. Tell me about any pre-combat training you received or field training you had. 3. Tell me about you wartime service. a. Where did you serve abroad? b. Tell me about the details of the trip abroad. c. Tell me about specific combat action you witnessed, or your duties away from the front line. d. How did you feel during those experiences? e. Tell me about the friendships you formed in those times. f. How did you stay in touch with family and friends back home? g. What did you do during any down time? h. Were you ever injured while in the service? FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 41 4. Tell me about your transition into civilian life. a. What made you leave the service? b. How was your process exiting the service? c. Tell me about your reception by family, friends, and your community. d. Tell me how you felt as you readjusted to civilian life. e. What made you choose to go to college? f. What aspects of college have you enjoyed the most? g. Has any college experience been particularly difficult? h. Who do you rely on for support? i. How well do you get along with your professors? Other students? j. What classes have you enjoyed the most, the least? k. Which professors have you felt were the most impactful, why? l. What type of groups have you joined? m. What type of Veteran specific activities have you participated in? n. How well do you feel your Veteran status was respected on campus? o. Were your classmates/teachers curious about your military service? p. What types of questions were you asked in classes about your military service? q. Have any service connected disabilities impacted your college experience? 5. A few final reflections on your service. a. Tell me how your wartime experiences affected your life now. b. Do you have any life lessons you would you like to share from your military service. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 42 Attachment 3 Interviewer's Release Form FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 43 Attachment 4 Veteran's Release Form FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 44 Attachment 5 Audio and Video Recording Log FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 45 FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 46 Veteran Welcome Letter Dear First Name, Let me first thank you for your service. Here at Westminster our Veterans Service network provides a variety of support avenues and resources that can help you throughout your academic career. Each of the following individuals is specially trained to support you through your transition to college life on campus. Academic Advising Start Center Hailee Hatch, Veterans Academic Advisor and Westminster Military Association Advisor [e-mail] Phone: [phone] Office: Start Center Veteran Education Benefits Kevin Fletcher, Financial Aid Specialist/Benefits Coordinator [e-mail] Phone: [phone] Office: Bamberger Hall 204 Counseling Services Depression, anxiety, relationship issues, alcohol and drug problems, and family dysfunction are some of the common reasons for seeking counseling services. Counseling is confidential and provided at no charge. Appointments may be scheduled in person, by telephone, or email. Cory Shipp, Veterans Counselor [e-mail] Phone: [phone] Westminster Military Association (WMA) The WMA is an inclusive group that provides support and camaraderie to all students, faculty, staff, and alumni interested in the Unites States military, Westminster College, and the surrounding community. The WMA strives to meet on a monthly basis and hopes to achieve the following goals: provide social events and networking activities for Westminster's military community; provide support and resources to Westminster's military community; provide a forum that will advocate academically, personally, and professionally for Westminster's military community; provide mentorship opportunities for ROTC members; and to be open to addressing other issues affecting our military community. Westminster College strives to be a military friendly school. We welcome recommendations concerning how we can improve our service to our valued Veteran students. Sincerely, Dr. Brian Levin-Stankevich President, Westminster College FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 47 Veteran Support Faculty/Staff In-service Training Purpose  Share Veteran stories with the community to build greater understanding of contemporary Veterans.  Teach the Westminster College community to use existing skills to create an engaging college environment for Veteran students.  Provide faculty and staff knowledge and space to develop techniques to encourage Veteran integration in the community. Learning Goals 1. The community will gain understanding concerning the diversity of Veteran students. 2. Faculty will develop methods to invite Veteran experiences in the classroom. 3. Staff will learn to support specific Veteran needs. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 48 Class 1: Veteran Introduction Learning Objectives 1. Explain the diversity within the Veteran student population. 2. Analyze Veteran experiences to challenge existing paradigms. During this lesson we will humanize Veteran students through an exploration of their individual stories. These students come from a range of backgrounds and come with vastly different academic skill sets. These Veteran students have dedication to country and sacrifice in common. They expect high levels of accountability from themselves, other students, and faculty. As 20 year old men and women these students were responsible for millions of dollars in equipment and the lives of a dozen subordinates…they are not a typical cross-section of society. What do you know, and what do you hope to learn about these unique students? We will begin by exploring what we each have experienced. Learning Activity Veteran students in conjunction with the Westminster Military Association have captured the stories of Veterans on campus for inclusion in the Veteran History Project at the Library of Congress. These Veteran students have agreed to share segments of their stories with members of the community. Five minute edited segments will be presented, followed by a guided discussion concerning what the segment tells us about the Veteran experience. If an in person course is not feasible, an online version of the class. Either format will enlighten the community's view of the Veteran student. Potential Facilitation Questions 1. How does this Veteran fit your personal presumptions about Veterans? 2. What surprises you about this Veteran's story? 3. What can this student offer the community at Westminster College? 4. What types of assistance might this Veteran need from the college faculty or staff? a. Financial Aid b. Mental Health Care c. In the classroom FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 49 Class 2: Veteran Classroom Integration Learning Objectives 1. Analyze learning activities for their designed ability to increase engagement. 2. Incorporate lesson content to invite Veteran student contribution into learning activities. During this lesson we examine assignments that invite Veterans to share of themselves. When Veteran students feel safe, they engage the community. We will first engage a few assignments other educators have used to bring forth Veteran student's experiences. We will also look at ways we can enrich the content of our lessons to invite Veteran student contributions. Autobiographical essays and digital story telling create safe opportunities for Veteran learners to share their perspective. These lessons provide the Veteran student an opportunity to engage their experiences a safe distance from the military environment and combat zone. Each faculty member has found assignments that safely bring individuals into the learning environment. We will begin to consider assignment ideas to assist faculty members as they welcome the Veteran experience in our classroom. We will end with the challenge of engaging our own learning activities for potential Veteran student engagement. Learning Activity 1: Potential Learning Assignments Digital Storytelling Digital storytelling is a potential teaching method to bring forth the Veteran student's story. The first YouTube video shares a diverse definition of a digital story. The video attempts to provide faculty with simple yet inspiring digital storytelling techniques for the classroom. Digital Storytelling Video (http://youtu.be/zP6CeGLPuOY) If the course is taught online a link to the Center for Digital Story Telling website should be provided for exploration. If the course is taught in person the instructor should share the StoryLab video. This lesson is not designed to teach digital storytelling, but to share the concept with professors. Center for Digital Story Telling StoryLab FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 50 Time Lapse Veterans miss entire years in combat. Time-lapse photography presents an opportunity to help Veteran student's critically reflect upon what they missed, while helping the community understand their story. Here are two artistic views of what a Veteran may miss during deployment. A Year in Season (http://youtu.be/KBtdGalL-QE) Wedding-Pregnancy-Birth (http://youtu.be/WbLpTgTZGsg) Learning Activity 2: Facilitated Discussion A facilitated discussion with expert faculty will consider what types of learning activities can be used in their classrooms. This lesson can be completed in person or as an online forum. Potential Facilitation Questions 1. How might you apply these or a similar method in your classroom? 2. What types of learning activities have you used that may benefit the inclusion of Veteran students? 3. What insights might a Veteran have in your area of expertise? a. Anthropology b. International development c. Federalism d. Leadership FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 51 Class 3: Veteran Support Learning Objectives 1. Engage the concept of Veteran community integration from a value added perspective. 2. Analyze how issues such as depression, PTSD, and isolation present unique challenges within the Veteran population. During this lesson we engage the concept of integration from the perspective of the Veteran student. We will critically look at the mental and physical health issues Veterans face and question how we can support these issues as part of ongoing campus activities. The VA provides mental health and academic resources who will brief from their areas of expertise. Learning Activity: Panel Discussion Aaron Ahern: Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) Coordinator Gina Painter, LCSW: Women Veterans Program Manager Ian Edmonston: WMA President Ryan Poland, MACL: PTSD Expert/Westminster College Alumni Bevan Llewelyn: Panel Facilitator Rachel Westmoreland: Westminster College Veteran Student Westminster College will host a panel discussion with Veteran students and VA experts. Each panel member will share who they are, and the 1 thing they believe the college can do to support the needs of Veterans. The panel's areas of expertise are women Veteran support, Veteran mental health issues, and campus integration. The audience will consist of faculty and staff assigned as points of contact for Veterans and marketed to attract as broad a campus audience as possible. The audience should be primed to bring questions they have concerning support for Veteran students. If the audience does not have specific questions, the issues of PTSD and overall Veteran mental health will be discussed. This emerging class may pair well with the Center for Civic Engagement. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 52 Chapter 5: Discussion & Recommendations The scope of my project evolved over the course of two semesters. I initially planned to complete a traditional thesis designed to examine the usefulness of the Nested Spectrum Learning Framework while helping advocates understand contemporary Veteran students. A policy window opened when Westminster College committed to finding ways to improve inclusion for Veteran students. This opportunity began a transition from a qualitative study to a research based project. Developing the entrepreneurial courage to make this transition permeated other areas of my personal and professional journey. Working directly with students and advocates created an environment disposed for personal growth. Participating as a VHP interviewee had powerful implications. Not only did I focus on other Veteran narratives, I also engaged my narrative from an objective perspective. This process validated my agreement with Karpiak's (2010) belief that students can write themselves into knowing. Critical reflection during the process helped me understand personal PTSD symptoms for which I am now undergoing treatment. Engaging my interview protocol, advocates, and other Veteran students resulted in significant personal growth. I recently volunteered and was accepted to join a strategic communication committee at the VA where I work. I utilized Foliotec, the eportfolio program, to demonstrate how we can improve the way the VA engages Veterans and advocates in the larger community. I gained these capabilities by placing research in motion. My primary focus on the impact of military service and advocacy on developing relationships transfers easily into the larger Veteran advocacy effort. Veteran advocates cannot FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 53 prevent war, the root cause of their existence. As advocates we will continue to follow Abraham Lincoln's charge, "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan" (1865). This project's research questions transitioned research into action. I often referenced these questions to maintain focus on the Veteran community, and not myself. Assessing the specific impacts of military service while assessing current advocacy efforts yielded significant sustainable action. The original research questions are listed below to remind us of the journey.  Question 1: How has military service impacted the Veteran's relationships with the collegiate teaching community and learning content?  Question 2: How can Veteran advocacy positively impact the Veteran's relationships with the teaching community and learning content? I discovered an individuality and isolation amongst participating Veterans. These individuals often appear privileged while they suffer from the invisible wounds of combat. I was surprised to discover how the perception of structural privilege lessened the ability of some community members to understand the difficulties these individuals face. This dissonance demonstrates the importance of capturing and sharing the stories of these students. Tisdell's (1993) concerns of privilege in higher education must be considered when approaching Veteran students. We must continue to humanize the Veterans who by nature attempt to make themselves invisible, and often marginalized. A steadfast commitment to adjusting strategy and focusing on support were essential to this project. Significant changes to policy could not be taken lightly. I initially intended to ask Veterans to share their narrative before, during, and after military FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 54 service. I intended to complete a qualitative study of a small population by looking specifically at the impact of military service on learning experiences while considering existing privilege. I hoped to uncover how learning relationships enabled the pursuit of and continuance in undergraduate programs. I believed Veteran advocates could use this information to make more impactful decisions to support future Veteran students. I changed tactics to address the Veteran students of today. The dual focus of my project limited the amount of effort I could give any one area. Limitations The dual focus of the project limited my ability to fully engage the qualitative potential within the research. Geographic and time limitations constrained the number of narratives I compared. I chose participants based on proximity to my other advocacy efforts. Relying on a convenience sample blurred the Veteran picture. This narrowly constructed group of participants may have skewed the narrative of the learning experience of all Veterans on campus. Future academic research with Veteran students should be designed to maximize telling a diverse Veteran narrative. The VHP model did not seek out the lived experience of Veterans prior to military service. Without asking targeted questions concerning participants K-12 learning experiences I missed a formative era of their lives. I did not seek a clear picture of the individual prior to military service. Future research methodology should be developed with the lifespan of the Veteran student central to the research questions. Future Academic Research My research began a conversation concerning the learning relationships of Veteran students. The Nested Spectrum Learning Framework is validated as a lens for FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 55 the deconstruction of Veteran learning relationships. Future research with Veteran college students can be strengthened by building a qualitative study guided by the Nested Spectrum Learning Framework. Research focused on describing the narratives of Veteran students can significantly enlighten the future practice and policy decisions of colleges and communities through a greater understanding of the Veteran narrative. The Nested Spectrum Learning Framework should receive greater integration in the development of future academic research. An in-depth interview separating the learning experiences of Veterans could separate experiences into three distinct categories; high school learning experiences, military/combat learning experiences, and post military service learning experiences. The juxtaposition of these experiences would inform relationship changes between the student, learning content, and teachers. Future research should use high school learning experiences to describe the individual's structural privilege before military service. Capturing in service learning experiences would differentiate the common phenomena, or military experiences of participants. Post military learning experiences will uncover the changes in learning relationships and consideration of advocacy actions. The Nested Spectrum Learning Framework should be used to develop future interview protocols. The Nested Spectrum Calling to the surface the unseen elements within learning relationships for understanding occurred as I focused on learning narratives through the nested spectrum. Utilizing separate wavelengths to construct the interview protocol would instill a format ripe for examining differing wavelengths in a more direct fashion. Each wavelength should be individually considered during the development of the interview protocol. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 56  The spiritual wavelength exists at the individual's core and impacts the Veteran student's learning relationships. Future interview questions should ask if the Veteran found inner peace during different eras of their lives. It should then inquire to how that peace was found.  The bodily subsystem wavelength is essential when considering the impacts of physical and mental combat injuries on the Veteran student's learning relationships. Questions directly asking about traumatic brain injury or PTSD will elicit a richer narrative from participants.  The individual wavelength calls attention to the need for critically reflective Veteran learning. The interview protocol should ask if any assignments helped them process their combat service.  The social wavelength looks for the social groups chosen by students. The VHP interview guide asked about engagement, not social groups of Veterans. Future interview questions should determine what groups the individual did join.  The cultural wavelength explains embedded group values around the Veteran. This presents an opportunity to focus on how the Veteran believes they are perceived by the community.  The societal wavelength provides an opportunity to consider the perceived and actual structural privilege based in Veteran stories. The interview protocol should contain questions concerning how the Veteran feels they fit in the social pecking order. The protocol should specifically consider the common occurrence of Veterans identifying with faculty members rather than other students. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 57  The ecological wavelength requires greater focus during future research. My initial research meagerly discussed the international opinions of Veteran students, while their story provides great context to discover their opinions concerning emerging international issues. Future Veteran Student Advocacy The function of the Westminster Military Association in the community changed as a result of the emerging initiatives I supported. I served as a mentor for a group of Veterans that needed a clear idea of how to help the community serve them. The culture of story sharing as service was a new concept to the Westminster Military Association. Moving forward they have engaged the process of increased engagement through sharing Veteran stories. The Westminster Military Association needs a faculty advisor to maintain a focus on Veteran advocacy issues. The new faculty advisor should serve as a permanent member of a Veteran Integration committee. Maintaining a Veteran conscience on campus requires a group with the assigned purpose of coordinating Veteran advocacy efforts. I witnessed disconnection between Veteran advocacy ideas, and the ability of existing staff members to execute those ideas. The macro goal of the Veteran Integration committee should be the maintenance of a Veteran conscience on campus by coordinating Veteran integration initiatives. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 58 Formalizing a Veteran integration committee reinforces a goal of holistic Veteran integration from first contact through graduation. An ad hoc version of this team already exists with members from functional areas assigned as Veteran points of contacts as listed below.  Admissions: Jeff Vandersteen  Academic Advising: Hailee Hatch  Financial Aid: Kevin Fletcher  Counseling: Cory Shipp  Faculty Development: Peggy Cain  Westminster Military Association President: Ian Edmonston The Veteran integration committee should approach all stakeholders as they develop future integration initiatives. The team as it is currently constituted lacks an execution element. Formalizing an enduring committee holds members accountable for implementing good ideas. The labor of implementation can be decreased through job enrichment and Veteran student work study. Colleges with a Veteran Center are authorized two 25 hour per week work study students. The Department of Veterans Affairs pays for these allotments. The Veteran integration committee should determine what existing office can also serve as a Veterans Center by name. Formalizing the Veteran integration process and adding work study students will increase the ability of the campus to integrate Veteran students. MACL Learning Objectives The in-depth interview process supported the development of communication skills and enabled critical reflection upon my learning experiences. I have enhanced my FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 59 skill as a communicator by opening myself to the VHP interview process. Writing effective interview questions, conducting interviews with this specific population, and personally experiencing the interview increased my ability to communicate. Active listening has been critical to the creation of Veteran support initiatives. I was challenged by candidly telling my Veteran story for permanent storage at the Library of Congress. Improving my communication skills occasioned the development of my critically reflective capacity as I considered how to support Veteran students while actively supporting Veteran students. I chose to complete the Master of Arts in Community Leadership (MACL) at Westminster College for the program's ability to challenge my militaristic world view. I continually seek out transformational experiences. Merriam (2007) refers to these experiences as, "change-dramatic, fundamental change in the way we see ourselves and the world in which we live" (p. 130). The integrated nature of the MACL program connects vastly different worldviews. I completed courses in 6 different disciplines. The distinctive worldviews of the students and faculty in these courses evolved my worldview. Working with and for Veteran students is a fitting conclusion to a critically reflective journey. I end this journey engaging a population similar to my demographic prior to beginning the MACL program. I continue to support these Veterans with developed tools, helping share our stories' as I continually work to fully understand my own. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 60 References Agnew, J. (2011). Space and Place. In Agnew, J.& Livingstone, D. (Eds.), Handbook of Geographical Knowledge (pp. 1-33). London:Sage Association for the Study of higher Education (2011). What matters to Veterans? Peer Influences and the campus environment. ASHE Higher Education Report, 37(3), 21-33 Brenner, L.A., Ladley-O'Brien, S.E., Harwood, J.E.F., Filley, C.M., Kelly, J.P., Homaifar, B.Y., & Adler, L.E. (2009). An exploratory study of neuroimaging, neurologic, and neuropsychological findings in Veterans with traumatic brain injury and/or posttraumatic stress disorder. Military Medicine, 174, 347-352. Davis, B. (2008). Complexity and education: Vital simulteities. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 40(1), 50-65. Davis, B., Sumara, D., & Luce-Kapler, R. (2008). Engaging minds: Changing teaching in complex times (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. US Department of Defense. (2012). Population Representation in the Military Services: Fiscal Year 2011Summary Report (39th Ed.). Alexandria, VA: CNA Elias, J.L., & Merriam, Sharan B. (2005). Humanistic adult education. In Philosophical foundations of adult education (3rd ed.) (pp. 111-145). Malabar, FL: Krieger. Flannery, D. D. (1994). Changing dominent understandings of adults as learners. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 61, 17-25. Fontana, A. & Frey, J.H. (2003). The interview: From structured questions to negotiated text. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Collecting and interpreting qualitative materials (2nd ed.),(pp. 61-106). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 61 Hassan, A.M., Jackson. R.J., Lindsay, D.R., McCabe, D.G., & Sanders, J.E. (2010). The Veteran student in 2010: How do you see me?. About Campus, 15(2), 30-32. doi: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1002/abc.2020 Library of Congress (2008, August). Veterans History Project Brochure. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/vets/pdf/brochure-august2008.pdf Lincoln, A. (1865). Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Washington, DC: Library of Congress. Karpiak, I. E. (2010). Summoning the past: Autobiography as a "movement toward possibility". New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 126, 13-24. Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. (2006). Designing qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S. & Baumgartner, L. M. (2007). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide.(3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Merriam, S. B. (2008). Adult learning theory for the twenty-first century. New Directions For Adult and Continuing Education, 119, 93-98. O'Herrin, E. (2011). Enhancing Veteran success in higher education. Peer Review, 13(1), 15-18 Rocco, T.S. & West, G.W. (1998). Deconstructing privilege: An examination of privilege in adult education. Adult Education Quarterly, 48(3), 171-185. Rossiter, M., & Clark, M. C. (2007). Narrative and the Practice of Adult Education. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Company. Spradley, J. P. (1979). Asking descriptive questions. In, The ethnographic interview (pp. 78-91) Orlando, FL: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 62 Stanage, S.M. (1979). Human acts, the relevancy matrix, and systems of relevancy. Human Studies, 2(2), 131-158. Summerlot, J., Green, S.M., & Parker, D. (2009). Student Veterans organizations. New Directions for Student Services, 126, 71-77. Taylor, K., & Lamoreaux, A. (2008). Teaching with the brain in mind. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. 119, 49-59. Tisdell, E. J. (1993). Interlocking systems of power, privilege, and oppression in adult higher education classes. Adult Education Quarterly, 43(4), pp. 203-226. Tisdell, E.J. (2008). Spirituality and adult learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 119, 27-36. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2012). Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents And Survivors. (2012 ed.). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Westminster Military Association (2012). Constitution of the Westminster Military Association of Westminster College. Salt Lake City, UT: Westminster College. Yorks, L. & Kasl, E. (2002). Toward a theory and practice for whole-person learning: Reconceptualizing experience and the role of affect, Adult Education Quarterly, 52(3), (176-192). FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 63 Appendix A IRB Approval FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 64 Appendix B Interview Protocol The interviewer will first present information from the consent form: "You have been invited to participate in the Veteran History Project at the Library of Congress. A secondary purpose of this interview is to understand how military service impacts collegiate learning. The study procedures have been identified as an interview concerning you story before, during, and after military service. The duration of the study is expected to be 1-2 hours. Benefits that may occur from participation in this study have been identified as greater Veteran support by collegiate communities. The potential risks associated with the study have been identified as engaging potentially emotionally charged combat events. Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary, and you may withdraw from the study any time you wish without any penalty to you." The interviewee and investigator will then sign the VHP Veteran consent form as seen in appendix B. WMA/VHP Interview Protocol: Begin the interview by announcing:  I am here with Veteran's name_________________, born His or her birthdate____________.  He/she served in Operation/Campaign______ as a member of the branch of service_______.  Name's highest rank achieved was highest rank achieved.  This recording is taking place on DATE____ at Westminster College, in Salt Lake City, UT.  I am interviewer's name________ a fellow member of the Westminster Military Association.  Names of anyone present____________________________ is/are assisting in the interview.  The interview is being conducted for the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 65 1. Tell me about your life before serving. c. Where and when were you born. d. Family details: i. What were your parents' occupations ii. Tell me about your siblings. e. What were you doing before entering the service? f. Do you have any family members who served in the military. 2. Tell me about your early military (garrison) experience. a. How veteran entered service-draft or enlistment. b. If enlistment, why and the reason for choosing a specific branch of service. c. Tell me about your experience in basic training. d. Tell me about your occupational specialty. e. What was the training like to learn your job? f. What surprised you about the instructors? g. What were your favorite parts of training? h. What were your least favorite parts of your training? i. What was your first line supervisor like at your first unit? j. Adapting to military life: physical regimen, barracks, food, social life. k. Tell me about any pre-combat training you received, or if you never deployed, any field training. l. Specialized training, if applicable. 3. Tell me about you wartime service. a. Where veteran served. b. Details of the trip abroad, if applicable. c. Action witnessed, or duties away from the front line. d. If applicable, emotions relating to combat-witnessing casualties, destruction. e. Friendships formed and camaraderie of service. f. How veteran stayed in touch with family and friends back home; communication from home. g. Recreation or off duty pursuits. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 66 h. Were you ever injured while in the service? 4. Tell me about your transition into civilian life. a. What made you leave the service? Where veteran was when war ended. b. How was your process exiting the service? c. Tell me about your reception by family and community. d. Tell me how you felt as you readjusted to civilian life. e. What made you choose to go to college? f. What aspects of college have you enjoyed the most? g. Has any college experience been particularly difficult? h. Who do you rely on for support? i. How well do you get along with your professors? Other students? j. What classes have you enjoyed the most, the least? k. Which professors have you felt were the most impactful, why? l. What type of groups have you joined? m. What type of Veteran specific activities have you participated in? n. How well do you feel your Veteran status was respected on campus? o. Were your classmates/teachers curious about your military service? p. What types of questions were you asked in classes about your military service? q. Have any service connected disabilities impacted your college experience? 5. A few final reflections on your service. a. Tell me how your wartime experiences affected your life now. b. Are their any life lessons you would you like to share from your military service. FROM COMBAT TO COMMENCEMENT 67 Appendix C Westminster College Institutional Review Board (IRB) For the Protection of Human Subjects Consent Form for Adults Before agreeing to participate in this study, it is important that the following explanation of the proposed procedures be read and understood. It describes the purpose, procedures, benefits and risks of the study. It also describes alternative procedures available and the right to withdraw from the study at any time. It is important to understand that no guarantee or assurance can be made as to the results. You have been invited to participate in a research study, the purpose of which is deconstruction of the Veterans relationships with the collegiate environment and learning content. The study procedures have been identified as a three section interview concerning learning stories before, during, and after military service. The duration of the study is expected to be 1-2 hours. You will be notified of any significant variance from the stated duration of the study. Benefits that may occur from participation in this study have been identified as greater Veteran support by collegiate communities. Possible side effects have been identified, including psychological side effects: The potential risks associated with the study have been identified as engaging potentially emotionally charged combat events. In the event that you are affected by these side effects the following remedies are available to you: The Veterans Hospital in Salt Lake City has psychologists and counselors available without charge to treat any uncovered mental combat trauma. Some side effects/risks may be unforeseeable. Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary, and you may withdraw from the study any time you wish without any penalty to you. If you have any questions about this study or wish to withdraw, please contact: Jamie Joanou 801-832-2485 Principal Investigator Phone: If you have any questions regarding your rights as a research participant, please contact: Robert A. Shaw 801-832-2474 Chair of IRB Phone: All personally identifiable study data will be kept confidential. However, the results of this study may be made available to you upon request or used in formal publications or presentations. If you feel that you have received a satisfactory explanation as to the risks and benefits of this study as well as your rights as a research participant and you would like to participate, please sign and date below. You will be given a copy of this form for your records. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Signature of Subject Date ______________________________________________________________________________________ Signature of Investigator Date