By Paul Dolan
On Feb 3, 2011 Vets for Vets brought guest lecturer Kyle Hausmann-Stokes to UW-Madison to speak on issues veterans face when going to college after separating from the military. Kyle, originally from the Verona area, served 5 years in the Army Airborne Infantry and received the Bronze Star for his meritorious service and actions under fire.After his military service he attended school at ASU, UCLA, Universidad de Madrid and completed his degree at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. His short film “Now, After” is used by the VA as a tool to inform veterans of PTSD related issues.
During his lecture, Kyle gave some examples of the difficulties veterans face when coming to college and provided some possible methods to ease the transition. First, veterans lose a sense of importance after separation because the military provides a level of responsibility may not exist on a college campus.
Veterans need to understand the value of their military experiences and utilize these skills in the most appropriate way in the classroom. For example, many times veterans have real world experiences and perspectives that people cannot get from a text book. Sharing these information and veterans’ actions in service can help bring awareness to other students of current real world events.
Kyle recommended that new student veterans get involved with a local veterans group in order to help with assimilation and provide a healthy atmosphere to exchange concerns or obtain valuable assistance. He also suggested to join non-veteran student organizations as a way to get comfortable with their new environment This group will provide a method for them to get more involved on campus and readjust to the different rigors in the academic environment.
Veterans may begin to feel remorse for not being as involved with their former units. Staying in contact with former Battle Buddies or friends from their unit is a good way for veterans to show their support of the current ordeals these units may be facing.
It is also very important for veterans to understand how important they are and how the Universities they attend benefit by having a strong veteran presence. it is also important to represent yourself and the veteran community as a whole in a positive manner. The responsibility of ensuring veterans get the proper respect they deserve ultimately starts with each and every individual veteran’s actions.
Hausmann-Stokes’ lecture and film presentation was well received and stimulated a very intriguing Question and Answer session afterward. Most audience members, whether student, veteran, or faculty expressed how informative and helpful the evening was.
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