Eugenia Weiss: Military and Veteran Transitions

Eugenia Weiss is a clinical associate professor at the University of Southern California’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. She is the co-author of the book The Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and Identities* and Supporting Veterans in Higher Education: A Primer for Administrators, Faculty, and, Advisors*.

Key Points

Military and civilian cultures are very separate, and sometimes it’s difficult to transition back into civilian life.

Most veterans with combat experience won’t have PTSD, it’s about 15%-30% that do. The effects of PTSD vary from person to person.

In the past, service members typically had several weeks of transport time between combat roles and home, now it’s only a couple of days. This doesn’t allow them much time to process their experiences.

Don’t be afraid to engage with veterans and talk about their experiences, just do it with care and concern. Most veterans do want to talk about their experiences.

Volunteering for a veteran’s group can be very rewarding both for you and for the veterans you’re helping.

Resources Mentioned

PsychArmor Institute

Corporate Gray: Connecting Employers with Veterans Nationwide

Student Veterans of America

Career One Stop

Veterans Upward Bound Program (college transition)

My Next Move for Veterans

Corporation for National and Community Service (veterans section)

Vet Success

Wounded Warrior Project

Veterans for America

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Give an Hour Foundation (free counseling)

The Soldiers Project (free counseling)

Cohen Veterans Network (free counseling and resources now based at USC)

Team Rubicon (vets volunteer disaster work)

Mission Continues (volunteer work)

U.S. Veterans Initiative (housing and services)

Pegasus Rising (Equine therapy for vets with PTSD)

The Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and Identities* by Louis Hicks, Eugenia L. Weiss, and Jose E. Coll

Supporting Veterans in Higher Education: A Primer for Administrators, Faculty and Academic Advisors* by Jose E. Coll and Eugenia L. Weiss

Handbook of Military Social Work* by Allen Rubin, Eugenia L. Weiss, and Jose E. Coll

A Civilian Counselor’s Primer to Counseling Veterans* by Jose E. Coll, Eugenia L. Weiss, and Herbert A. Exum

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