March 7, 2012 Catalyst Meeting Summary
Beyond Basic Training—Job Readiness for Veterans
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
At their first meeting of 2012, Catalyst members and friends heard from Linda S. Schwartz, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs.
Dr. Schwartz gave a fact-filled and very human presentation that helped to explain the perspectives and needs of the many veterans in our communities. Key points included:
We all need to lower our shields, work together, and go for the good.
Linda Schwartz, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs
Background and Connecticut statistics
- CT was the first state to have a Veteran’s Home.
- There are 277,000 veterans in Connecticut.
- 10% are service disabled; 6% are women.
- 30% of CT veterans are unemployed.
- In the next 2 years, there will be a “tsunami” of veterans returning here, from 6,000 to 7,500 of them.
- It takes a minimum of 120 days before veterans get any disability pay.
- A much higher percentage of veterans have been in combat, and attacked or ambushed (when compared to earlier wars), leading to much higher numbers with traumatic stress.
- Many returning veterans will be young (early 20’s) and never had a chance to get higher education or work experience.
- When they return home, many veterans begin to fall apart after about six weeks; they get lost while decompressing. They struggle with depression and a sense of not belonging in civilian life. They can’t find anything that makes them feel competent and needed.
- They are most at ease with other vets, not with all other people.
- They think they don’t, or shouldn’t, need help because they are “heroes” and “warriors.”
- They have trouble translating military experience into civilian job skills.
- Our domestic systems don’t help. Combat medics come back and have to start over—they can’t even be nurses’ aides without going through certification.
- One in 7 soldiers in combat is a woman. 25% of women in the military have reported being sexually assaulted.
- 20% of the nation’s suicides are soldiers and veterans (even though they represent only 1% of the population).
- 80% of veterans in college have dropped out, despite the financial assistance they receive. Vocational education was not included in education bill for veterans.
Some responses to the needs of veterans
- Post deployment, troops need health care, employment, education, financial assistance, family benefits.
- “Stand Down – Connecticut Cares” service event sponsored by the CT Department of Veterans’ Affairs; Stand Down annually serves about 1,000 homeless and needy veterans with haircuts, dental checks, new clothing, legal assistance, vision checks, license renewals, etc.
- Heroes for Hire job fairs: the next one will be on April 27, 2012 at Rentschler Field. At each fair, attendees have the chance to meet with up to 75 prospective employers, and can also take advantage of the following free services: resume assistance, Veterans Services representatives, information on educational and job training programs.
- Women veterans’ needs are somewhat different. The Connecticut Women Veterans’ Network was established by the Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs to assist Connecticut’s approximately 15,000 women veterans.
- OASIS centers: These veteran-friendly campus environments have recently been established at community colleges and state college campuses as places where student vets can gather, connect and support each other.
Questions & Answers
Q: Are you getting support from the legislature?
A: State Senator Carlo Leone is our ally and is the co-chair of the Select Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Q: Do you know of “private” programs that exist to address the needs you have identified?
A: There are several nonprofit organizations in the Hartford area doing good work helping homeless veterans and helping veterans make connections to employment. As this group evaluates programs, I suggest that you build on what exists, and use your own savvy.
Q: What is coming down from the Federal government for veterans?
A: It’s much easier to work with the State on these issues; there is accountability in the State agency. There is insufficient connection between the Federal programs and local: no real bridge. We all need to “lower our shields, work together, and go for the good.”
Q: I’ve heard that many veterans aren’t coming home to intact families. Is this a significant issue?
A: Many veterans do come home to broken families and don’t have adequate support. Service is very disruptive for families. Over 1 million children in America have had one or both parents deployed since 9/11.
Q: How do PTSD and traumatic brain injury contribute to the high suicide rate among veterans?
A: We now know what it is, and are better at identifying it, although some screenings need improvement. Early interventions are paying off. I recently looked at the helmets that we give soldiers; they don’t have nearly the protection that football helmets have, for instance. We can do better.
Q: What approaches or strategies have nonprofits used to help veterans get training and jobs?
A: Programs need to provide good screening and individualized support. Apprentice programs are often the most successful.