TOMBALL, Texas – Nearly two-thirds of new veterans say that they have faced a difficult transition to civilian life, according to a recent survey on post-military life experience, but thanks to an upcoming event at Lone Star College-Tomball, people from all walks of life will discover ways to support veterans’ transition and success.
“Supporting Veterans’ Transition and Success” led by Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali, MD, will be held from 9 am – 11 am at LSC-Tomball in Room E-100. The presentation is part of the lecture series hosted by the LSC-Tomball Center for Organizational and Teaching Excellence.
The session will discuss the impact of mental health illness on veterans, including suicide. Attendees will learn about local VA mental health clinical resources and how they can be accessed. After that, the session will focus on challenges that veterans face when transitioning to civilian life. The seminar will conclude with a discussion about supporting veterans to succeed in school.
At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to:
- Appreciate challenges faced by veterans as they return to civilian life
- Understand common mental health challenges faced by veterans
- Identify strategies to support veteran student success
According to U.S. Veterans Magazine, relating to people who do not know or understand what military personnel have experienced is a common obstacle many veterans face on a daily basis. For many veterans, reconnecting with family and re-establishing a role in the family is a challenge. Families, in many cases, create new routines during absences and both the family and the veteran is challenged with adjusting to changes.
In addition to the upcoming lecture series, LSC-Tomball has taken action to support veterans with the formation of a Student Veterans Organization (SVO).
“The SVO is a club in which any military veteran can join,” said Lacy Moreno, LSC-Tomball veteran liaison and advisor. “This gives veterans on our campus the opportunity to connect with other veterans and also participate in various opportunities to continue serving the community. The SVO provides veteran students with a good support system and network of other veterans.”
LSC-Tomball’s veterans initiatives, according to Moreno, are geared toward helping veterans reconnect with civilian life. In fact, LSC-Tomball in November held a grand opening of a dedicated space on its campus reserved for veteran students. That space is called The Bunker.
“This space is a resource that allows veterans to relax and have access to things to help them be successful as students,” Moreno said. “It has a monitor for presentations, computers, snacks, a textbook library from which veterans can check books in or out while they’re waiting on their benefits to cover books and other materials. The Bunker also has a printer where veterans can print for free, something that is not available for other students.”
At LSC-Tomball, the upcoming Lecture Series presentation, the club, and The Bunker, all tie into the overall support for our veterans, Moreno said.
Lone Star College-Tomball is located at 30555 Tomball Parkway, at the intersection of SH 249 and Zion Road. For more information about the college, call 281.351.3300 or visit LoneStar.edu/Tomball.
-30-
Known for its leadership, innovation and steadfast commitment to student success, Lone Star College provides high-quality academic transfer and workforce education/career training programs to more than 83,000 credit students each semester, and a total enrollment of 95,000 students. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to promote student success and economic prosperity. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., is the chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, which consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.